Several local judicial terms are expiring, creating an opportunity for challengers, who must qualify by 12 noon EDT on Friday, April 24.
Filing is done via the Florida Division of Elections in Tallahassee. The deadline to file via petitions has passed; therefore, a qualifying fee is required.
CIRCUIT JUDGES
First Judicial Circuit Judge positions pay $200,836.08 per year and require a roughly $8,000 filing fee. These judges are assigned by the Circuit’s Chief Judge to any of the four counties within the circuit: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton.
Incumbent Circuit Judge J. Scott Duncan, currently assigned to Santa Rosa County and serving as administrative judge, will be re-elected to his seat for a six-year term if no other challenger qualifies.
Incumbent Circuit Judge David L. Stevens is also assigned to Santa Rosa County and up for re-election if no challenger qualifies.
COUNTY JUDGES
The following First Judicial Circuit Santa Rosa County Judge positions pay $189,755.04 per year and require a $7,590.20 qualifying fee:
Group 2 Incumbent Jose Anthony “Tony” Giraud faces no challengers so far.
Group 3 Incumbent Matthew Dean Gordon has been appointed to fill a vacancy in the Circuit Court in Escambia; therefore, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis canceled the election for Group 3. Gordon was facing Stephen L. Johnson. DeSantis will appoint a nominee for the Group 3 seat.
OTHER COUNTIES
Current incumbents whose terms expire include:
County Judges:
- Escambia Group 2 Charles Young;
- Okaloosa Group 2 Angela Mason;
- Okaloosa Group 3 John Kenneth Reed.
Circuit Judges:
- Jennie Kinsey;
- John Ryan Love;
- Stephen Pitre;
- John V. Schlechter;
- John F. Simon, Jr;
- Stephanie Sansing White.
If any challengers qualify, the non-partisan races will be decided on the Nov. 3 General Election ballot. County judges are elected within the county in which the judge serves; Circuit judges are elected within the four-county First Judicial Circuit.
