Brenda Snipes Isn't Backing Down

Brenda Snipes, the Broward County Elections Supervisor, resigned from her position on November 18th, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family. Less than two weeks after her resignation, Snipes was suspended by outgoing governor and Senator-elect Rick Scott, who on Friday cited “widespread issues with voting,” according to the Sun-Sentinel. In response, Snipes has rescinded her resignation, and says she’ll fight back against Scott’s decision.

From the Sun-Sentinel:

Broward elections office attorney Burnadette Norris Weeks said the governor is holding Snipes to a different standard than other elections supervisors in Florida, “as if there can never be a mistake made.” She alleged the suspension was mean-spirited, an attempt to take Snipes’ pension, and based on false or unfair allegations. She also suggested the Republican governor was motivated by politics, removing the Democratic supervisor in a heavily Democratic county.

“We believe it’s a malicious action that should not have happened,” she said, adding later that “all of the voters of Broward County should be concerned.”

National attention focused on Snipes in the days after the midterm elections, when Broward County experienced multiple problems with ballot counting. Though Snipes was appointed by Republican Governor Jeb Bush in 2003, she found herself the focus of criticism from Republican candidates. During the vote counting, Scott sued both the elections office and Snipes personally. Snipes’ office blamed the problems on the number of mail in ballots they received. Norris Weeks called Scott’s lawsuits “ridiculous” and “frivolous,” taking up time the office needed for vote counting.