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Questions are being raised about the fairness and integrity of the candidate qualification process in Brevard County, Florida. The issue stems from the mishandling of candidate qualification documents by the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections, Tim Bobanic, and his office’s perceived preferential treatment of some candidates over others.

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In order to appear on the ballot for the election, candidates must “qualify” during a specific time period, and turn in various qualifying documents as prescribed by law which must be strictly vetted for completeness by the Supervisor of Elections, Tim Bobanic’s office. So far at least half of the candidates in once race appear on the ballot despite their qualifying documents being incomplete. Both of those candidates are Republicans Randy Fine and Wayne Twiddy. Twiddy is a member of the Elections Integrity Committee.

On June 10, 2024, Joan Taddie, a candidate for Democrat Precinct Committeewoman, submitted her qualifying documents. The candidate qualifying period ended on June 14, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. Shortly after the qualifying period closed, Tim Bobanic contacted Brevard Democrats Chair Pamela Castellana, informing her that Taddie’s Candidate Oath lacked the required stamp from the notary. Consequently, Bobanic found the form to be facially insufficient, rejected Taddie’s paperwork, and disqualified her from being placed on the ballot.

This decision has raised concerns about the unequal enforcement of qualifying deficiencies. Notably, within the four-day window available for making corrections, neither Taddie nor her representative were directly notified by Bobanic as required by law. Moreover, the Candidate Coordinator for Bobanic’s office did not offer to notarize the document for Taddie, a courtesy that was extended to Republican candidate Wayne Twiddy, despite Twiddy’s own qualifying documents having an extensive amount of deficiencies.

It has now been discovered that Randy Fine has not one, but two of his qualifying documents lacking the date of the notary which is mandated by law. His documents should have been rejected, yet he still appears on the ballot contrary to what Florida Elections Laws mandate; him immediate disqualification. Fine’s social media posts show that he was not even in the country a week prior to the qualification deadline.

Joan Taddie was the only candidate for the office she sought and would have been elected without opposition had she been informed of the need to correct her paperwork or been offered assistance in notarizing the document. The differing treatment of candidates in similar situations suggests potential favoritism and raises serious questions about the integrity of the electoral process in Brevard County.

As a result of such alarming and obvious deficiencies being overlooked, we have requested, yet not received the qualifying documents for all candidates in all races that fall under the County’s jurisdiction. Even more concerning, when we officially notified Tim Bobanic of the illegal candidates on the ballot, he replied via email that he would not take any action in removing them, which is within his authority, unless he was forced to do so by a judge.

Implications of Unequal Enforcement

The selective enforcement of qualifying requirements, as alleged in this case, can have far-reaching implications:

• Selective Disqualification: By selectively disqualifying candidates for minor deficiencies while allowing others with similar or more significant issues to remain on the ballot, the election authority could be manipulating the candidate pool to favor certain individuals or groups.
• Favoritism and Nepotism: If certain candidates or their supporters receive preferential treatment regarding the enforcement of qualification requirements, it undermines the fairness of the electoral process. This creates an uneven playing field where some candidates have an unfair advantage.
• Undermining Public Trust: Public trust in the electoral process is eroded when voters perceive that the rules are not applied equally to all candidates. This perception can lead to decreased voter turnout and engagement, as well as increased skepticism about the legitimacy of elected officials.
• Legal and Ethical Violations: The unequal application of electoral laws and rules may constitute legal and ethical violations by the Respondent. Such actions could potentially be grounds for legal action and further investigation into the Respondent’s conduct.

Call for Uniform Enforcement

The situation with Joan Taddie and the preferential treatment of Randy Fine and Wayne Twiddy underscores the critical need for uniform enforcement of election laws. Whether the office sought is for United States Congress or a local position such as Town Dog Catcher, election laws must be enforced uniformly and strictly to maintain the integrity of the democratic process.

These situations highlights the importance of vigilance and fairness in the administration of elections, and it serves as a reminder that all candidates must be treated equally to ensure a fair and just electoral process. The allegations against the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections demand thorough investigation and accountability to uphold the principles of democracy and public trust.

Update: We filed the lawsuit below on Friday as a result of these actions.