In the opinion, the court concluded a 2002 precedent that invalidated term limits for county offices was wrong, adopting the dissent in the case that said counties’ home-rule charter powers clearly allow term limits.That previous ruling rejecting term limits, the justices wrote, “undermines the ability of counties to govern themselves,” adding that “interpreting Florida’s Constitution to find    .. more …

Attention Nora Arce, Hugo Cohen, Lorna Clarke, Cheryes Jerome, Carmen Rodriguez, Keith Seymour, Paul Tien and Byron Vassell. If you’re a U.S. citizen and aren’t dead or moved out of state, you are among thousands of registered voters the state claims as “verified non U.S. citizens.”You should be receiving or already have received a letter from your local supervisor of    .. more …

MIAMI (Reuters) – Florida election authorities are examining about 180,000 people who they say may not be U.S. citizens but are registered to vote in the state, an official said on Friday. State officials are updating Florida’s voter rolls ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November. Florida is home to a large Latino population and is expected to be a critical swing state in the contest    .. more …

By WILLIAMMARCH The Tampa Tribune Published: May 4, 2012TAMPA – The Quinnipiac University swing states poll has found Mitt Romney moving up to statistical ties in two key states, Florida and Ohio, while President Barack Obama holds a lead in Pennsylvania.In Florida, Romney led by one percentage point, 44 percent to 43 percent.In Ohio, the poll found the Republican trailing by two percentage    .. more …

With three Florida Supreme Court justices facing a stiff ballot challenge , the Florida Bar announced Monday it is kicking off a $300,000 campaign to educate voters about the merit retention system for electing justices and appelate judges. Scott Hawkins , a West Palm Beach lawyer and president of the Florida Bar, said the campaign is not designed topromote Justices Barbara Pariente , Peggy Quince    .. more …

Those were just a few observations on the upcoming presidential election by Susan MacManus, noted University of South Florida political science professor, political analyst and commentator. MacManus spoke to the Polk County Tiger Bay Club at the Peace River Country Club on Monday, outlining what she said will be a tough election year.Analysts can’t look at 2008 to predict this year’s elections,    .. more …

Tuesday morning, the Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments from cases in Broward and Sarasota counties on the constitutionality of voter-imposed term limits.Whichever way the justices rule, it will set a statewide precedent that will affect term limits in Polk and other Florida counties that operate under local charters.Twenty of Florida’s 67 counties are governed by charters. Ten of those    .. more …