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Special Election To Replace Matt Gaetz In Congress Set For April Fools’ Day
November 23, 2024
A special election will be held on April Fool’s Day to fill the House seat vacated by Matt Gaetz, and the current officer holders that want to run must resign by Monday.
The Florida Department of State announced the special election timeline Friday afternoon.
“At Gov. Ron DeSantis’ direction, this special election is being conducted as quickly as statutorily possible,” Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd said in a press release. “We are committed to ensuring this election is held as soon as we are allowed to hold it by state law.”
The special primary election will be held on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, and the general election will be held on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.
Two state legislators that have said they are running — Michelle Salzman and Joel Rudman –for the seat. Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis has also indicated that he may run. Each one of them, and any other current elected official that decides to run, will be required to resign by Monday under Florida’s so-called resign to run law. A two-day qualifying period will be open December 5-6.
The Florida 1st Congressional District seat — which represents Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties with a portion of Walton County, was held by Matt Gaetz until he resigned after being nominated for U.S. attorney general by President-elect Donald Trump. Gaetz later withdrew his nomination and Trump nominated former Florida AG Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department.
The complete special election timeline is as follows:
- Friday, November 22 – Gov. Ron DeSantis issued executive order setting election
- Sunday, November 24 – Notice of election is published
- Monday, November 25 – Final day for current elected officials to submit resignations
- December 5-6 – Qualifying period for candidates on December 5, ending at noon on December 6
- December 14 – Vote-by-mail ballots sent to absent stateside and overseas military and U.S. civilians
- December 19 – Vote-by-mail ballots sent to domestic voters
- December 30 – Voter registration ends for special primary election
- January 18-25 – Early voting
- January 28 – Special primary election day
- February 11 – Deadline to certify primary election results
- February 15 – Vote-by-mail ballots sent to absent stateside and overseas military and U.S. civilians
- February 20 – Vote-by-mail ballots sent to absent stateside and overseas military and U.S. civilians
- March 3 – Voter registration ends for special election
- March 22-29 – Early voting
- April 1 – Special election day
Comments
17 Responses to “Special Election To Replace Matt Gaetz In Congress Set For April Fools’ Day”
CONTEMPLATING:
“I know this might come as a big surprise to you, but Biden’s DOJ investigated and filed ZERO charges.”
Are you suggesting those many files were among the ones outgoing former (and now future) president Trump stole along with all the many, many other official documents? Shocking.
So distrustful.
@Susie
Pot, meet kettle.
Well,, well, how appropriate that they replace Matt on April Fools Day. This guy has made a laughing stock of the Panhandle almost since the day he was first elected. Now if we can just get people to vote on who is going to help our area and not who is the deepest Conservative, maybe we will get some representation. Who am I kidding, we all know that will never happen.
David Hue Green, I know this might come as a big surprise to you, but Biden’s DOJ investigated and filed ZERO charges.
Hopefully Matt can prosecute and jail Jack Smith ; don’t forget the high bail . Prosecutors like Smith are a danger to democracy and deserve their own prosecutors prison . Malicious prosecution should be prosecuted !
@Givemeabreak you’d probably get a break if you stopped complaining.
Gaetz and Scarborough are similar in one respect. Both duped the lot constituents and used their office as a conduit for self promotion. When will NWFL elect a serious representative?
The date is appropo, considering we’ll be saddled with another republican clown that embarrasses us.
REGARDING:
“When Matt Gaetz revealed he would expose all the politicians and celebrities on the Epstein Child Exploitation List that sealed his faith. Publish the List NOW!”
I agree with the request but Donald could have done it had he wished.
He didn’t.
Gaetz supposedly only paid one minor for carnal services. (Unless there were other children who serviced him. Sure wish they would release the report.)
Get the others too. Donald seems to naming quite a few as his desired appointments. His kind of people?
Instead of representing NW Florida, Matt Gantz’s only accomplishment in office was promoting himself. Most politicians, leave something of a positive legacy. Matt’s only legacy for the Panhandle is his pedophile behavior of having sex with underage girls, his violating the law and obstructing criminal investigations, his refusal to support disaster relief for his fellow Floridians, and his refusal to support the military communities in his district, all of which at one time would have put a nail in his coffin. There was a time in Congress when Matt would have been booted out in disgrace. Now, the voters face a real dilemma of who to vote for. It’s time to shift back to the middle and vote for a candidate that puts the 1st District above personal and party pettiness.
When Matt Gaetz revealed he would expose all the politicians and celebrities on the Epstein Child Exploitation List that sealed his faith. Publish the List NOW!
Just glad the biden administration is leaving . Like the American voters I couldn’t take the incompetence of his clown show anymore . Whoever our new house rep is please keep these dangerous clowns away from me !
I so agree with ric!
Always heard, a job in the hand is worth more than two on a bush…
Whats with all the quiters to move on to greener pastures
All these transfers in college, i have no faith in quiters
There was a song about this “Thank God and Greyhound he’s gone”
How fitting of a day to replace Gaetz, since he is a joke.
Gonna loose another one in this election.
I guess there will then be an election for those that resign.