City Council President Scott Wilson filed legislation calling for a special election to fill his District 4 seat as he prepares to run for Duval County Clerk of Circuit and County Courts in 2020.
Wilson’s term as president ends June 30 and his Council term expires in 2023. According to the bill, Wilson will resign from Council the date he would take office as clerk of courts, if elected, or the date his District 4 successor would take office.
Wilson announced his run for clerk of courts in a Facebook post April 16, the day his election filing was recorded by the Duval County Supervisor of Elections Office.
Wilson said in an April 17 interview that he does not want to wait until the end of his current Council term to run for clerk of courts because the seat has no incumbent. Sitting Clerk Ronnie Fussell, a Republican elected in January 2013, is term-limited.
Resolution 2020-0237 would set the special election in conjunction with the Aug. 18 primary election in Duval County. The bill reserves a spot on the Nov. 3 ballot if no candidate wins a clear majority and a runoff is needed.
After introducing the bill as an addendum to the Council’s April 28 agenda, Wilson said he wanted to give potential candidates enough notice for the June 8-12 qualifying period for the Council seat.
Wilson has to file a letter of resignation from Council to run for clerk of courts, according to Florida statute.
The Council president wants the bill considered as a one-cycle emergency, which means Council could vote on the special election by May 12.
The 49-year-old Republican will run for clerk of courts in the Aug. 18 primary that includes Republican Jody Phillips, chief operating officer for the Duval County Clerk of Courts.
Democrat Jimmy Midyette, an attorney with Midyette Law Firm, also has filed to run for the seat.