opinion

Shocker! Florida's political class preserves bogus write-in candidate loophole | Our view

Editor's note: This article has been updated from its original version.

The write-in scam has been on the books in Florida for almost two decades.

In light of what transpired Monday, it looks as if it will be here for decades more.

Over the years, the provision has enabled hundreds of candidates, in both major parties, to close primary elections and disenfranchise millions of voters.

Though it is an affront to democracy, the write-in loophole has been quite good for Florida's political class. Many incumbent politicians up for re-election have used the provision to their advantage.

Get a friend — or even a family member — to file as a write-in, and a party candidate can effectually deny half the electorate the opportunity to vote in a primary contest.

Given its political value to the status quo, the old guard on Florida's 37-member Constitution Revision Commission wasn't about to surrender the write-in provision without a fight.

Monday, the political class succeeded in foiling the opposition.

Florida voters WILL NOT have the chance in November to vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to close the write-in loophole. The proposal, spearheaded by Sherry Plymale, a Palm City resident and member of the commission, needed 22 votes to get on the ballot.

It garnered only 19.

Former Sewall's Point Commissioner Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch, a member of the Constitution Revision Commission, made an impassioned plea for the proposal prior to the vote.

MORE: Act now to get write-in loophole fix on November ballot

MORE: Ban on offshore drilling moves closer to November ballot

"To have the farce of a write-in candidate, who can be somebody's mother, or somebody's father, or somebody's brother, or a high school student, is absolutely ludicrous and is a bad reflection on all of us," Thurlow-Lippisch said.

Indeed.

For Thurlow-Lippisch, the issue is personal.

In 2016, Thurlow-Lippisch ran as a Republican for Martin County Commission (District 1). An 18-year-old high school student filed for the race, closing the primary to non-Republicans, many of whom supported environmental advocate Thurlow-Lippisch over incumbent Doug Smith.

Paperwork for the student-candidate, who had no visible campaign strategy, was filled out by the leader of the Jensen Beach Chamber of Commerce.

This is just one example of the write-in farce, which takes many forms but almost always involves a bogus candidate whose entrance into a race helps another candidate.

Under the write-in provision in state law, all Florida voters (regardless of party) are allowed to cast ballots in a primary race when candidates have no opposition outside their party.

However, a write-in candidate closes the primary to all voters except those of the same party as the main candidates. This is an injustice in counties where local politics are dominated by a single party.

Write-ins are not required to pay a filing fee or gather signatures to run. Once they have registered, the vast majority don't campaign, articulate their views or attend political forums. Their singular objective is to close the primary — often to the benefit of one of the real candidates.

Sadly, this reprehensible provision will remain part of Florida election law for the foreseeable future.

The Constitution Revision Commission failed us. Those who spoke against the proposal include:

Arthenia Joyner, a former Democratic state senator from Tampa (appointed by Florida's chief justice);

Tom Grady, CEO of Continental Equities Group and GradyLaw in Naples (appointed by the governor);

John Stemberger, civil trial attorney in Orlando (appointed by Florida's House speaker);

Timothy Cerio, a regulatory and healthcare attorney in Tallahassee (appointed by the governor).

In Florida, ludicrous is acceptable to the political class.

Editorials of Treasure Coast Newspapers/TCPalm are decided collectively by its Editorial Board. To respond to this editorial in a letter to the editor, email up to 300 words to TCNLetters@TCPalm.com.