Florida intermediate appellate court elections, 2020

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The terms of 25 Florida District Courts of Appeal justices expired on January 5, 2021. The 25 seats were up for retention election on November 3, 2020. A full term on the court is six years. Twenty-four judges filed to run for retention in 2020. One judge did not file to run for retention.[1]

## Contents

* 1 Election procedure changes in 2020
* 2 Candidates
* 2.1 First District Court of Appeal
* 2.2 Second District Court of Appeal
* 2.3 Third District Court of Appeal
* 2.4 Fourth District Court of Appeal
* 2.5 Fifth District Court of Appeal
* 3 Past elections
* 3.1 2018
* 3.1.1 First District
* 3.1.2 Second District
* 3.1.3 Third District
* 3.1.4 Fourth District
* 3.1.5 Fifth District
* 3.2 2016
* 3.2.1 First District
* 3.2.2 Second District
* 3.2.3 Third District
* 3.2.4 Fourth District
* 3.2.5 Fifth District
* 4 Selection
* 4.1 Qualifications
* 5 See also
* 6 External links
* 7 Footnotes

## Election procedure changes in 2020[edit]

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Florida modified its voter registration procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

* Voter registration: The voter registration deadline was extended to October 6, 2020.[2]

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

## Candidates[edit]

This is a list of the justices who stood for retention election in 2020 in order to remain on the bench.[3]

### First District Court of Appeal[edit]

#### First District Court of Appeal

* Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.

Office | Candidates
Adam Tanenbaum's seat |

Adam Tanenbaum (i)

Joseph Lewis' seat |

Joseph Lewis (i)

L. Clayton Roberts' seat |

L. Clayton Roberts (i)

Rachel Nordby's seat |

Rachel Nordby (i)

Scott D. Makar's seat |

Scott D. Makar (i)

Timothy D. Osterhaus' seat |

Timothy D. Osterhaus (i)

### Second District Court of Appeal[edit]

#### Second District Court of Appeal

* Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.

Office | Candidates
Andrea Teves Smith's seat |

Andrea Teves Smith (i)

Daniel H. Sleet's seat |

Daniel H. Sleet (i)

J. Andrew Atkinson's seat |

J. Andrew Atkinson (i)

Morris Silberman's seat |

Morris Silberman (i)

### Third District Court of Appeal[edit]

#### Third District Court of Appeal

* Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.

Office | Candidates
Bronwyn C. Miller's seat |

Bronwyn C. Miller (i)

Eric Hendon's seat |

Eric Hendon (i)

Fleur J. Lobree's seat |

Fleur J. Lobree (i)

Monica Gordo's seat |

Monica Gordo (i)

Thomas W. Logue's seat |

Thomas W. Logue (i)

### Fourth District Court of Appeal[edit]

#### Fourth District Court of Appeal

* Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.
* = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Office | Candidates
Alan O. Forst's seat |

Alan O. Forst (i)

Mark W. Klingensmith's seat |

Mark W. Klingensmith (i)

Martha Warner's seat |

Martha Warner (i)

### Fifth District Court of Appeal[edit]

#### Fifth District Court of Appeal

* Incumbents are marked with an (i) after their name.

Office | Candidates
Frederic Rand Wallis' seat |

Frederic Rand Wallis (i)

Jamie Rutland Grosshans' seat |

Jamie Rutland Grosshans (i) (unofficially withdrew)

John M. Harris' seat |

John M. Harris (i)

Kerry Evander's seat |

Kerry Evander (i)

Meredith Sasso's seat |

Meredith Sasso (i)

Richard Orfinger's seat |

Richard Orfinger (i)

Note: Jamie Rutland Grosshans withdrew from the retention election once she was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court.

## Past elections[edit]

### 2018[edit]

See also: Florida intermediate appellate court elections, 2018

#### First District[edit]

##### Florida 1st District Court of Appeal

Bradford Thomas was retained to the Florida 1st District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 65.9% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

65.9

| 773,502
|  |

34.1

| 401,090

Total Votes

| 1,174,592

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 1st District Court of Appeal

Stephanie Williams Ray was retained to the Florida 1st District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 69.0% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

69.0

| 813,709
|  |

31.0

| 366,207

Total Votes

| 1,179,916

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 1st District Court of Appeal

Harvey Jay was retained to the Florida 1st District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 66.4% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

66.4

| 787,244
|  |

33.6

| 398,896

Total Votes

| 1,186,140

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 1st District Court of Appeal

Allen Winsor was retained to the Florida 1st District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 64.9% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

64.9

| 761,518
|  |

35.1

| 412,328

Total Votes

| 1,173,846

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 1st District Court of Appeal

M. Kemmerly Thomas was retained to the Florida 1st District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 66.1% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

66.1

| 775,643
|  |

33.9

| 398,432

Total Votes

| 1,174,075

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

#### Second District[edit]

##### Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal

Darryl Casanueva was retained to the Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 69.9% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

69.9

| 1,395,404
|  |

30.1

| 601,185

Total Votes

| 1,996,589

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal

Edward LaRose was retained to the Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 71.9% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

71.9

| 1,433,864
|  |

28.1

| 561,471

Total Votes

| 1,995,335

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal

Anthony K. Black was retained to the Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 73.6% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

73.6

| 1,480,603
|  |

26.4

| 531,641

Total Votes

| 2,012,244

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal

Susan Rothstein-Youakim was retained to the Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 72.5% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

72.5

| 1,451,934
|  |

27.5

| 549,901

Total Votes

| 2,001,835

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

#### Third District[edit]

Judges Richard Suarez and Leslie Rothenberg did not file for retention.[4]

##### Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal

Kevin M. Emas was retained to the Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 74.1% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

74.1

| 532,495
|  |

25.9

| 186,484

Total Votes

| 718,979

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal

Ivan F. Fernandez was retained to the Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 74.0% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

74.0

| 533,382
|  |

26.0

| 187,539

Total Votes

| 720,921

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal

Robert J. Luck was retained to the Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 73.7% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

73.7

| 501,937
|  |

26.3

| 178,989

Total Votes

| 680,926

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal

Norma S. Lindsey was retained to the Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 75.3% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

75.3

| 534,916
|  |

24.7

| 175,077

Total Votes

| 709,993

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

#### Fourth District[edit]

##### Florida 4th District Court of Appeal

Carole Taylor was retained to the Florida 4th District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 78.6% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

78.6

| 1,022,532
|  |

21.4

| 277,869

Total Votes

| 1,300,401

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 4th District Court of Appeal

Burton C. Conner was retained to the Florida 4th District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 75.1% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

75.1

| 986,636
|  |

24.9

| 326,381

Total Votes

| 1,313,017

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

##### Florida 4th District Court of Appeal

Jeffrey T. Kuntz was retained to the Florida 4th District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 73.7% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

73.7

| 958,412
|  |

26.3

| 342,775

Total Votes

| 1,301,187

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

#### Fifth District[edit]

##### Florida 5th District Court of Appeal, Eric Eisnaugle's seat

Eric Eisnaugle was retained to the Florida 5th District Court of Appeal on November 6, 2018 with 63.3% of the vote.

Retention

Vote

Votes

|
|
|

| ✔ |

Yes

63.3

| 1,119,140
|  |

36.7

| 649,102

Total Votes

| 1,768,242

* * *

It has been certified. Source

|

Click [show] at the right to view more past election results.

|

### 2016

#### First District

James Wolf was retained in the Florida First District Court of Appeal, Wolf's Seat election with 62.52% of the vote. | Florida First District Court of Appeal, Wolf's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
James Wolf| 62.52%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Ross L. Bilbrey was retained in the Florida First District Court of Appeal, Bilbrey's Seat election with 63.25% of the vote. Florida First District Court of Appeal, Bilbrey's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Ross L. Bilbrey| 63.25%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
T. Kent Wetherell was retained in the Florida First District Court of Appeal, Wetherell's Seat election with 62.23% of the vote. Florida First District Court of Appeal, Wetherell's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
T. Kent Wetherell| 62.23%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Lori S. Rowe was retained in the Florida First District Court of Appeal, Rowe's Seat election with 63.53% of the vote. Florida First District Court of Appeal, Rowe's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Lori S. Rowe| 63.53%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Susan Kelsey was retained in the Florida First District Court of Appeal, Kelsey's Seat election with 64.94% of the vote. Florida First District Court of Appeal, Kelsey's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Susan Kelsey| 64.94%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Thomas D. “Bo” Winokur was retained in the Florida First District Court of Appeal, Winokur's Seat election with 61.52% of the vote. Florida First District Court of Appeal, Winokur's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Thomas D. “Bo” Winokur| 61.52%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results

#### Second District

Stevan Northcutt was retained in the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Northcutt's Seat election with 67.50% of the vote. Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Northcutt's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Stevan Northcutt| 67.50%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Nelly Khouzam was retained in the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Khouzam's Seat election with 67.37% of the vote. Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Khouzam's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Nelly Khouzam| 67.37%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Patricia Kelly was retained in the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Kelly's Seat election with 72.24% of the vote. Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Kelly's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Patricia Kelly| 72.24%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Douglas Wallace was retained in the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Wallace's Seat election with 69.92% of the vote. Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Wallace's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Douglas Wallace| 69.92%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Craig Villanti was retained in the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Villanti's Seat election with 69.74% of the vote. Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Villanti's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Craig Villanti| 69.74%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Robert J. Morris Jr. was retained in the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Morris' Seat election with 69.38% of the vote. Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Morris' Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Robert J. Morris, Jr.| 69.38%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Marva Crenshaw was retained in the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Crenshaw's Seat election with 68.82% of the vote. Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Crenshaw's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Marva Crenshaw| 68.82%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Matthew C. Lucas was retained in the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Lucas' Seat election with 70.76% of the vote. Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Lucas' Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Matthew C. Lucas| 70.76%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Samuel Salario was retained in the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Salario's Seat election with 69.81% of the vote. Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Salario's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Samuel Salario| 69.81%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
John L. Badalamenti was retained in the Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Badalamenti's Seat election with 69.34% of the vote. Florida Second District Court of Appeal, Badalamenti's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
John L. Badalamenti| 69.34%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results

#### Third District

Linda Ann Wells was retained in the Florida Third District Court of Appeal, Wells' Seat election with 74.72% of the vote. Florida Third District Court of Appeal, Wells' Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Linda Ann Wells| 74.72%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Edwin A. Scales, III was retained in the Florida Third District Court of Appeal, Scales' Seat election with 71.77% of the vote. Florida Third District Court of Appeal, Scales' Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Edwin A. Scales, III| 71.77%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results

#### Fourth District

Robert Gross was retained in the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, Gross' Seat election with 72.74% of the vote. Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, Gross' Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Robert Gross| 72.74%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Cory Ciklin was retained in the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, Ciklin's Seat election with 73.79% of the vote. Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, Ciklin's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Cory Ciklin| 73.79%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Melanie May was retained in the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, May's Seat election with 76.12% of the vote. Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, May's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Melanie May| 76.12%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Dorian Damoorgian was retained in the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, Damoorgian's Seat election with 72.75% of the vote. Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, Damoorgian's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Dorian Damoorgian| 72.75%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Jonathan D. Gerber was retained in the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, Gerber's Seat election with 74.70% of the vote. Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, Gerber's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Jonathan D. Gerber| 74.70%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Spencer D. Levine was retained in the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, Levine's Seat election with 73.02% of the vote. Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, Levine's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Spencer D. Levine| 73.02%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results

#### Fifth District

Jay Cohen was retained in the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal, Cohen's Seat election with 67.95% of the vote. Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal, Cohen's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Jay Cohen| 67.95%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Vincent Torpy was retained in the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal, Torpy's Seat election with 68.33% of the vote. Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal, Torpy's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Vincent Torpy| 68.33%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Brian D. Lambert was retained in the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal, Lambert's Seat election with 68.85% of the vote. Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal, Lambert's Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
Brian D. Lambert| 68.85%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results
Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal, Edwards' Seat, 2016

Name | Yes votes
James A. Edwards| 69.43%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results

## Selection[edit]

See also: Judicial selection in Florida

Like Florida's supreme court justices, judges of the district courts of appeal are nominated by the state's judicial nominating commission and then appointed by the governor. They serve six-year terms and are re-elected through retention elections.[5]

### Qualifications[edit]

To be considered for appointment, a candidate must be:

* a qualified elector;
* a Florida resident;
* admitted to practice law in Florida for at least 10 years;
* no more than 75[6]

## See also[edit]

Florida | Judicial Selection | More Courts

|
|

Courts in Florida Florida Court of Appeals Florida Supreme Court |  Elections: 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 Gubernatorial appointments Judicial selection in Florida |  Federal courts State courts Local courts

## External links[edit]

* Search Google News for this topic
* Florida District Courts of Appeal

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Candidate Listing for 2020 General Election," accessed April 28, 2020
2. ↑ This change was not due to COVID-19. This deadline was extended after the state's voter registration website crashed.
3. ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Candidate Listing for 2020 General Election," accessed April 28, 2020
4. ↑ Florida Department of State, Division of Elections, "Candidate Listing for 2018 General Election," accessed May 14, 2018
5. ↑ Florida Courts, "District Courts of Appeal," accessed April 24, 2014
6. ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Florida," accessed August 29, 2015

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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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