-
Crescent City Commission candidates B.J. Laurie and Rachele McKenzie.
Two candidates will face off Tuesday in a special election a judge has allowed to proceed despite the legal turmoil surrounding it.
A former city commissioner, B.J. Laurie, is vying against political newcomer Rachele McKenzie for the Group 2 Crescent City Commission seat. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Tuesday for residents living within the city limits of Crescent City.
“I am excited about tomorrow,” McKenzie said.
She and Laurie are competing for the seat initially held by C.J. Bailey until Gov. Ron DeSantis removed him from the position Aug. 7. Bailey won the 2022 general election against Laurie, beating him by only 11 votes, according to election records.
Last week, Circuit Judge Kenneth Janesk II heard arguments from Bailey's and DeSantis’ legal teams in the battle to stop the special election. Bailey has said the executive order DeSantis used to dismiss him was unfair and has sued the governor in the hopes of regaining his former position.
Janesk ruled Saturday not to halt the special election, court documents show.
“This court, as well as the Crescent City community, is already aware that a special election will not create irreparable harm,” Janesk wrote in his court order. “If it is determined that Governor Ron DeSantis was wrong in Bailey’s removal, then this court can apply the same ‘repair’ and turn back the same clock, which the 5th (District Court of Appeal) has already done once before.”
Putnam County Supervisor of Elections Charles III said he planned to start preparing the voting room at the South Putnam County Government Center, 115 Summit St. Even though Janesk did not decide at the end of last week's hearing, Overturf said he and his staff had been preparing as if the election would move forward.
“I sort of really figured that would be the route that we would go,” Overturf said Monday after learning Janesk’s ruling.
Overturf said he and Elections Office workers vetted and trained at least five poll watchers last week. They are all supporters of McKenzie, he added.
Laurie confirmed Monday his team did not have any poll workers because he is confident in the Overturf and his staff’s ability to smoothly and fairly oversee the election.
“We have continued to campaign as if the court case didn’t exist, but it is a relief that everything’s going forward as expected,” Laurie stated.
McKenzie shared Laurie's relief about the election continuing as scheduled.
“I hope it’s going to be a good day,” she said.