Florida Supreme Court elections, 2024
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The terms of two Florida Supreme Court justices will expire on January 7, 2025. The two seats were up for retention election on November 5, 2024. The filing deadline was April 26, 2024.
Two of seven justices on the Florida Supreme Court are up for retention election— Renatha Francis and Meredith Sasso. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) appointed both justices to the supreme court. Newly appointed judges serve for at least one year, after which they appear in a yes-no retention election held during the next general election. If retained, judges serve six-year terms.
As of May 2023, all seven judges on the court were appointed by a Republican governor. No judge has lost a retention election in Florida.[1]
Candidates and results
Francis' seat
Florida Supreme Court
Renatha Francis was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 5, 2024 with 63.2% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
✔ | Yes |
63.2
|
5,960,814 | ||
No |
36.8
|
3,478,211 | |||
Total Votes |
9,439,025 |
|
Sasso's seat
Florida Supreme Court, Meredith Sasso's seat
Meredith Sasso was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 5, 2024 with 62.3% of the vote.
Retention Vote |
% |
Votes |
|||
✔ | Yes |
62.3
|
5,822,995 | ||
No |
37.7
|
3,518,990 | |||
Total Votes |
9,341,985 |
|
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Florida
Noteworthy ballot measures
- See also: Florida 2024 ballot measures
Two notable ballot measures were on the November 5, 2024, ballot in Florida. One would legalize marijuana possession under three ounces (Amendment 3), and the other would establish a constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability (Amendment 4). A 60% supermajority vote is required for the approval of both amendments.
Observers and officials commented on whether the amendments would increase turnout statewide.
- Wendy Sartory Link, the Supervisor of Elections for Palm Beach County, said: “A presidential election gets people excited and brings people out. But you might have folks who may not have cared as much or been as motivated to get out to vote for a president or all of the other races. Now, these amendments might just drive them out.”[2]
- Brad Coker, the CEO of the Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy firm, said of Amendment 4: "It'll bring out younger voters of all kinds and more white, female voters, both groups which lean heavy Democratic... It’ll definitely help turn out voters in what for many was looking like a lackluster choice in the presidential race between Biden and Trump.”[3]
- Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell (D) said: “With voters paying more attention to down-ballot races, I’m optimistic we can have a reverse coattails effect where we start to drive turnout and help improve the numbers at the presidential level.”[4]
- Republican pollster Ryan Tyson disputed the idea that the amendments would increase turnout for Democrats, saying of Amendment 4: "Nobody is trying to say that abortion doesn’t animate their base to turn out — we’ve seen that everywhere... However, we haven’t seen them turn out voters that wouldn’t have already turned out, like in a presidential year."[5]
- Sen. Marco Rubio (R) said of Amendment 4: “People are going to vote, they’re going to come out and vote and I don’t think [the abortion rights measure] is going to change any turnout patterns.”[6]
Amendment 3
A "yes" vote supported legalizing marijuana for adults 21 years old and older and allowing individuals to possess up to three ounces of marijuana. |
A "no" vote opposed legalizing marijuana for adult use in Florida. |
To read more about supporters and opponents of Amendment 3, along with their arguments, click on the box below.
Amendment 4
A "yes" vote supported adding the following language to the Florida Constitution’s Declaration of Rights: “… no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.” Amendment 4 maintained the existing constitutional provision that permitted a law requiring parents to be notified before a minor can receive an abortion. |
A "no" vote opposed amending the Florida Constitution's Declaration of Rights to provide that the state cannot "... prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider." |
To read more about supporters and opponents of Amendment 4, along with their arguments, click on the box below.
About the Florida Supreme Court
- See also: Florida Supreme Court
There are seven justices on the Florida Supreme Court. Justices are selected using the assisted appointment method, where the Governor of Florida chooses from a list of three to six candidates recommended by a commission on judicial appointments. Justices serve six-year terms. The appointment of a justice must be confirmed by a retention vote in the next general election at least one year after taking office.[9]
Political composition
This was the political composition of the supreme court heading into the 2024 election. Justices on the Florida Supreme Court are appointed to their seats.
■ Charles Canady | Appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist (R) in 2008; retained in 2010, 2016, and 2022 | |
■ Jorge Labarga | Appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist (R) in 2009; retained in 2010, 2016, and 2022 | |
■ John D. Couriel | Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in 2020; retained in 2022 | |
■ Renatha Francis | Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in 2022 | |
■ Jamie Rutland Grosshans | Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in 2020; retained in 2022 | |
■ Carlos Muñiz | Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in 2019; retained in 2020 | |
■ Meredith Sasso | Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in 2023 |
Selection
- See also: Judicial selection in Florida
The seven justices of the Florida Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. A judicial nominating commission consisting of nine members who are appointed by the governor to four-year terms screens potential judicial candidates.[10] The commission submits a list of three to six nominees to the governor, and the governor must then appoint a judge from the list.[11]
Newly appointed judges serve for at least one year, after which they appear in a yes-no retention election held during the next general election. If retained, judges serve six-year terms.[11] Under the Florida constitution, a judge must retire at age 75; however, a judge who reaches 75 after serving at least half of his or her term may complete that term.[12]
Qualifications
To serve on the court, a judge must be:
- a qualified elector;
- a state resident;
- admitted to practice law in the state for 10 years before assuming the bench; and
- under the age of 75.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Bolts, "Your State-by-State Guide to the 2024 Supreme Court Elections," accessed April 29, 2024
- ↑ ABC 33/40, "Abortion, marijuana ballot measures may boost Florida voter turnout" accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ USA Today, "Abortion, marijuana measures raise hope for Democrats in Trump's home state" accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ WCJB, "Florida Democrats optimistic about election with abortion measure on November ballot" accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ The New York Times, "Democrats See Glimmers of Hope in Florida. Are They Seeing Things?" accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ NOTUS, "Republicans Think Abortion Rights Supporters Will Vote for Them Too" accessed June 21, 2024
- ↑ Floridians Protecting Freedom, "Home," accessed May 17, 2023
- ↑ Florida Voice for the Unborn, "Home," accessed December 21, 2023
- ↑ Supreme Court Overview
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Florida; Judicial Nominating Commissions," archived January 13, 2012
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial selection: Florida," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ Florida Constitution, "Article V, Section 8," accessed September 10, 2021
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida
State courts:
Florida Supreme Court • Florida District Courts of Appeal • Florida Circuit Court • Florida County Court
State resources:
Courts in Florida • Florida judicial elections • Judicial selection in Florida
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