Broward County election chief Brenda Snipes is likely to be forced from her position by Florida Gov. Rick Scott or his probable successor, Ron DeSantis, as statewide recounts for U.S. Senate, governor and agriculture commission races for the 2018 midterm elections have turned messy, sources tell Politico.
Snipes, who took over as Broward Supervisor of Elections in 2003, is being sued by Scott’s Senate campaign, which alleges “fraud” in the vote count. It’s not the first lawsuit against Snipes, and the lengthy recount isn’t the first, either.
“She has shown she’s incapable of conducting a large and important election in a way that inspires public confidence and trust,” Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told Politico. “She’s been found to have destroyed ballots, in violation of the law. Opened absentee ballots early, in violation of the law. Misprinted ballots that have gone out.”
Snipes has had a long history of controversy, per local news outlets.
“She has had a horrible history … and all of a sudden they’re finding votes out of nowhere," President Donald Trump, referring to Snipes, told reporters Friday.
Earlier this year, a judge ruled Snipes destroyed ballots from a 2016 Congressional race too soon.
In 2016, Broward County violated the law when it posted early voting results online before polls were closed.
Scott has accused Snipes of being "unwilling to disclose records revealing how many electors voted, how many ballots have been canvassed and how many ballots remain to be canvassed," and alleged that the uncertainty "raises substantial concerns about the validity of the election process."