Sheriff race expands

So no one working for the Sheriff's office, and no one working in local government in any capacity, can run for sheriff? :shock:

How can we expect to have an experienced candidate if the Hatch Act applies? How much of the sheriff's budget comes from the federal government? The Hatch Act predates Homeland Security, so it seems this is an unintended consequence. Perhaps the sheriff's race should be non-partisan, for the same reason the school board is non-partisan -- so those who are most knowledgeable are not disqualified as a matter of course.

It certainly limits the participants now that it has been brought up. I am not seeing this as a good thing for the electorate. School board races were made non-partisan by constitutional amendment, if I am remembering correctly. To make local races non-partisan would require either doing something state-wide so that it would apply to each county, or going to a charter form of government in Walton County. But none of the solutions are going to be able to be implemented by the next election. Charter government is not something that is easily passed in any county. Escambia county has tried it three times that I can remember over the last two decades without success.

If the employee / deputy of the Sheriff's office is in violation of the Hatch Act, wouldn't the Sheriff be as well? Oh wait, he hasn't filed to run yet.

From what I have read, elected offiicials are exempt because the act of holding office puts them in violation. This 1939 federal law seems to have been written to protect congress from people running against them. In 1939 federal funding was not nearly as far reaching as it is today. I doubt that anyone back then could have imagined what we would have the federal government pay for today.

wow! I don't know much about the Hatch Act, but it looks like it could effectively preclude most any non-incumbent from running for office. I don't see that as democracy in action.

wow! I don't know much about the Hatch Act, but it looks like it could effectively preclude most any non-incumbent from running for office. I don't see that as democracy in action.

Only non-incumbents that deal with federal dollars.

Only non-incumbents that deal with federal dollars.

And that's basically every local government, law enforcement, and school employees. Federal loans and grants trickle down to everything these days. An assistant D.A. can't even run for D.A. anymore according to the latest OSC interpretation of the Hatch Act.

Clearly, we will have to decide who would make the best sheriff, and mount a covert write-in campaign for this person. If that person hears of our plans, he/she will have to disavow the write-in candidacy, in which case we will all just ignore his/her protests and write them in anyway.

Historically, what has been the background of candidates for sheriff?

It is county policy, not Hatch Act, that if you plan to run for the constitutional office that you work for, you have to resign, or at least be granted a leave of absence. I think that Patrick Pilcher and Gloria Gainey were granted a leave of absence to run for Property Appraiser, but that is because Mr. Fountain was not seeking re-election. Similarly, I think the tax collector employees who ran last time were granted leave since Mrs. Carter was retiring. Otherwise, rare is the constitutional officer that will grant you a leave of absence to run against him/her (in this case, him).

The Hatch Act does muddy things further, though. Many county employees do not handle federal funds, but we are the ones that don't plan to run for anything.

I do agree that all county races should be nonpartisan, though, because most folks who lived here 20 - 30 years ago were registered Democrats. Now, most of the same general populace is Republican. People can and do switch parties in order to give themselves the best chance to get elected (my uncle did). As far as Walton County races are concerned, being Republican or Democrat is no more descriptive of a person's beliefs and values than being Methodist or Baptist, or Gator or Seminole. For this reason, it's very important to research the candidates and vote for the person, as voting for party around here might well come back to bite you, or the county as a whole.

Rick or anyone else working in local government can run for a partisan office, i.e sheriff's office; they just have to quit their jobs to do it.
As I understand, Rick has placed a call to the Hatch Act Group in Washington to get an official ruling on this situation. and then he will do whatever is necessary.

Rick or anyone else working in local government can run for a partisan office, i.e sheriff's office; they just have to quit their jobs to do it.
As I understand, Rick has placed a call to the Hatch Act Group in Washington to get an official ruling on this situation. and then he will do whatever is necessary.

Great. The more the merrier. I understand the DeFuniak Springs City Marshal Michael Adkinson will be entering the race before the end of the week. So it looks like another round of elections in which the pool of candidates will be overwhelming. It really adds something to the race, considering that Florida does not have a second primary any longer.

I just found out that Rick has contacted the Hatch Act Unit in Washington and has requested an advisory ruling. The investigation for this ruling can take up to a few months to be complete. A decision has to be made on whether or not Rick is working on any projects currently funded by a Federal Grant.
Rick is doing everything he can to stay in the election and stay employed as long as possible. Some say this is only a rich man's game and Rick hopes to prove otherwise. He can be contacted at Post Office Box 883, Freeport, Fl 32439 and will soon have a website available.

Rick is doing everything he can to stay in the election and stay employed as long as possible. Some say this is only a rich man's game and Rick hopes to prove otherwise. He can be contacted at Post Office Box 883, Freeport, Fl 32439 and will soon have a website available.

Personally, I do not see how the Hatch Act works on Rick. Unless he has some special duties. But I would think that the Florida resign to run statute clearly applies. But again, not being an election attorney, I have to base my thoughts on the information I do have, so it certainly could be incorrect.

What am I missing?

If a deputy is ineligible because he is working on projects w/ Federal funding, why wouldn't his boss, the Sheriff, also be ineligible?

Maybe they figure that the currently elected officials are already crooks, so they don't matter. lol. Seriously, the politicians are always changing the rules to work around their own preference, ex -- do not call laws don't apply to politicians. Some tax laws were also created for politicians. I'm sure there are many examples of laws not applying to elected officials.

I keep forgetting that logic and common sense have no place in politics because of all the loopholes and exceptions .

What am I missing?

If a deputy is ineligible because he is working on projects w/ Federal funding, why wouldn't his boss, the Sheriff, also be ineligible?

If he is elected. One of a list of exemptions I have been told.

Okay here are the people who pre-qualified for Sheriff today.


Michael Adkinson (R)
Ralph Johnson (R)
Dennis Wise (R)


So that brings the total up to five Republicans and it is only January.

Dep. Rick Brown was the deputy that took my report the other day. He told me he would be running for the Sheriff's job....he said he'd been in law enforcement for over 20 years and that he retired from FWB to Walton County....grew tired of retirement and went to work in Walton County. Was recently transferred to South Walton. First impression...he was a VERY Nice man, extremely polite, professional and helpful......not to mention great sense of humor!

I would hope that any candidate running would be shaking hands and kissing babies.

Dep. Rick Brown was the deputy that took my report the other day. He told me he would be running for the Sheriff's job....he said he'd been in law enforcement for over 20 years and that he retired from FWB to Walton County....grew tired of retirement and went to work in Walton County. Was recently transferred to South Walton. First impression...he was a VERY Nice man, extremely polite, professional and helpful......not to mention great sense of humor!

Curious. Did he say all of this while in a Walton County Sheriff's Department uniform and while conducting official business of the department?

Are you trying to catch him campaigning while on the job? lol

So Dennis threw his name in the hat. Interesting. Seems like a good guy.

That kettle of gold in the pot is really shining.

Are you trying to catch him campaigning while on the job? lol

So Dennis threw his name in the hat. Interesting. Seems like a good guy.

That kettle of gold in the pot is really shining.

Just going to say that would be a good reason why someone should have to resign to run for their boss's job. There he is out there doing what the taxpayer is PAYING him to do, yet he gets in a chance to campaign. I work for myself and have yet to campaign while on the clock. I guess maybe I am the one that has issues. lol!

I believe that LIsa asked Rick to continue to patrol her area and he told her he would be resigning soon, she asked why and then asked him about himself.
The resign to run law is separate from the Hatch Act, and WHEN Rick and all the other candidates QUALIFY next June, all those candidates working in the sheriff's department will have to resign.

Wonder if DFS Police Department has any current federal grants ????

Are you running for Walton County Sheriff???
Just curious

This question is directed to WaltonGOP. . .

Are you running for Walton County Sheriff???
Just curious

Nope not qualified, I don't think. But as more enter the race, I may change my opinion of that. It is an awfully large pot of gold.

Elected officials get a pass on the Hatch Act from what I have read. I thought the same thing when I first heard of it, that Adkinson would not be able to run.

I believe that LIsa asked Rick to continue to patrol her area and he told her he would be resigning soon, she asked why and then asked him about himself.

Ahhh....so I guess that makes it okay?