Although Gainesville’s mayoral election took place 65 days ago and the runoff was 37 days ago, two locals have gone to court saying more voting needs to be done because Craig Lowe might not be the winner.
Mason Alley and Phil Courson, supporters of second-place finisher Don Marsh, are hoping to prove the city needs a special election because of uncertainty about the voter registration of 44 voters.
Sarah Rumpf, attorney for Alley and Courson, said she has evidence to suspect there are people who voted in the election who live and work in other counties, states and countries.
After producing a list of the 44 people in court Tuesday, Rumpf motioned to file an amended complaint stating the solution would be to hold a new election because it cannot be determined for whom those 44 people voted.
As evidence to support her claims, Rumpf pointed out one of the 44 voters used the address of Salty Dog Saloon as his or her place of residence.
“We ask that the election results be set aside, and that the voter rolls be cleaned of these questionable voters,” Alley said.
Alley noted the issue was important because of the narrow election results.
In the runoff election April 13, Craig Lowe defeated Don Marsh by 42 votes.
“We’re dealing with this because of the margin of victory,” he said. “I have nothing personal against Commissioner Lowe.”
Alachua County Circuit Judge Victor L. Hulslander will make a decision on how the case will move forward, if at all.
Cherie Fine, Lowe’s attorney, motioned that the case be thrown out.
Unless the judge orders otherwise, Lowe is scheduled to be sworn in at noon today.
Fine said she would not be surprised if that decision comes soon.
“It’s best for the city that there be a mayor and there be no cloud over who that mayor is,” she said.
Rumpf, who practices out of Winter Park and has commuted to get involved in the case, said she wants to make sure the political process is carried out fairly.
“Election law is a narrow area of the law,” Rumpf said. “It’s one of my pet issues.”
