Ellen Odom, the general counsel for the Escambia County School Board, has notified the Escambia County Commission that District 1 School Board member Kevin Adams has announced his intention to present a resolution to the School Board at its March 21 meeting to request a referendum to revert to an elected superintendent.
Escambia voters approved a referendum switching from elected to appointed in November 2018, 62,418-61,508. Quint Studer led the charge, with D.C. Reeves managing the pro-appointed initiative. Walker Wilson, former president of Pensacola Young Professionals, rallied his organization to man the polls in favor of the change.
The School Board and the County Commission will both have to pass resolutions asking the state legislature to put a referendum on the Presidential Preference Primary ballot on March 19, 2024.
The Presidential Preference primaries have a much lower turnout that the general election. The 2020 Presidential Preference Primary only had 53,605 votes cast while the 2018 November general election had 123,926 people vote on the referendum.
Here is the draft resolution that the School Board will consider in March:
RESOLUTION OF
THE SCHOOL BOARD OF ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA
WHEREAS, Article IX, Section 5, Constitution of the State of Florida, allows that, when provided by resolution of a district school board and approved by vote of the electors, the district school Superintendent shall be employed as provided by general law; and
WHEREAS, Article IX, Section 5, Constitution of the State of Florida, provides that such resolution may be rescinded after four years; and
WHEREAS, Section 1001.461(3), Florida Statutes (2022), provides that a district which has adopted an appointive method for selecting a superintendent may, after four years, return to its former status by resolution requesting the Board of County Commissioners to place the proposition on the ballot at a general election or a statewide primary or special election; and
WHEREAS, in 2018, the electors of Escambia County, Florida, affirmed a resolution by the School Board to make the Superintendent an appointed position; and
WHEREAS, four years having elapsed, it is appropriate to allow the voters of Escambia County, Florida to determine whether the Superintendent should remain appointed or should return to an elected position affirmed in a partisan election to a term of four years by vote of the qualified electors residing in Escambia County, beginning with the general election in 2024.
WHEREAS, Section 1001.461(2), Florida Statutes (2022), provides that the Board of County Commissioners, upon request from the School Board, must cause the proposition to return the office of Superintendent to an elected position to be placed on the ballot at a general election or a statewide primary or special election.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD OF ESCAMBIA
COUNTY, FLORIDA, THAT:
The Board of County Commissioners of Escambia County, Florida, is hereby requested
to place on the ballot for the Presidential Preference Primary election, held on March 19, 2024, the following
proposition:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM
Shall the Superintendent of Schools of Escambia County, Florida, be elected by a majority of the qualified electors of Escambia County, Florida?
Yes
No