JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A local leader is not backing down to a recent Florida Supreme Court ruling mandating that Duval County constitutional officers only serve two terms. Action News spoke with Jim Fuller right after he filed for re-election for Clerk of Court.
"I feel pretty confident that the Florida constitution recognizes my stuff as legal and I should be on the ballot,” said Fuller.
Fuller has filed his paperwork to run for a fourth term as Clerk of Court, even though the City of Jacksonville may trash his candidacy.
“Now, it puts the burden on the city to take a lawsuit and prove that he's not eligible to go on the ballot,” said Supervisor of Elections, Jerry Holland.
Action News asked the city if it plans to fight Fuller’s campaign, we did not hear back from Jacksonville’s lead attorney, Cindy Laquidara, Wednesday. But we did learn the ruling puts a number of other familiar faces in jeopardy of getting termed out.
Duval County school board president, Betty Burney, would be blocked from the ballot this year. Jerry Holland would be banned from running for Supervisor of Elections in 2015 as would John Rutherford for Sheriff and Jim Overton for Property Appraiser.
We found one candidate taking advantage of the term limit turmoil, Ronnie Fussell. Fussell thought running against Fuller, an incumbent, was a waste of time.
“It definitely influenced the fact why I made the move because I believe we have to have consistency with the court system,” said Fussell.
For now, Fuller's hat remains in the ring until the city takes action.
"I hope we resolve this in time to calm everybody down before the election and have it resolved by then,” said Fuller.
The Supreme Court ruling does not affect State Attorney Angela Corey or public defender Matt Shirk because they also serve Nassau and Clay counties.
