The Online Catalog allows searching and browsing of information about the Florida State Archives’ holdings of over 48,000 cubic feet of state and local government records and historical manuscripts. The catalog provides descriptions of over 3,400 collections and lists the contents of containers and folders in many of those collections. For assistance with accessing and using State Archives collections, call our Reference Staff at 850.245.6719 or email us at archives@dos.myflorida.com.
Broward County Supervisor of Elections suspension records, 2003-2004.
Amount:
.3 cubic ft.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement:
Arranged by topic or record type.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:
On November 20, 2003, Governor Jeb Bush issued Executive Order 03-219 (Executive Order of Suspension) suspending Broward County Supervisor of Elections Miriam Oliphant from office. The suspension followed complaints and news media reports alleging office and elections mismanagement by Oliphant, including staffing issues and favoritism, poll worker recruitment and training issues, polling place problems, absentee ballot processing issues (including hundreds not counted), voting system readiness issues, and overall management and leadership problems. Responding to the allegations, Secretary of State Glenda Hood assembled an assessment team comprised of staff of the Secretary's Office, the Department of State's Division of Elections, and several other county supervisors of elections. The team conducted on-site inspections of the operations of the Broward County Supervisor of Elections Office and warehouse facilities and reported their findings to Secretary Hood, who subsequently recommended Oliphant's suspension to Governor Bush. The Senate held a two-week trial in June-July 2004 to consider whether the suspension should be upheld. On May 4, 2005, the Senate voted to accept a report of its General Counsel recommending that the suspension be upheld.
Summary:
This series consists of transcripts of depositions, reports, and related records documenting events surrounding the November 2003 suspension from office by Governor Jeb Bush of Broward County Supervisor of Elections Miriam Oliphant. Included are reports and recommendations of the Department of State Assessment team sent to inspect conditions in and operations of the Broward County Supervisor of Elections office; an August 2003 State Attorney's investigation report finding no criminal wrongdoing or deliberate misconduct by Oliphant; Secretary of State Glenda Hood's letter to Governor Bush of October 24, 2003 recommending that Oliphant be required to comply with Assessment Team recommendations and report in writing on her implementation of recommendations by November 10, 2003; Oliphant's response to Governor Bush of November 4, 2003, responding to Secretary Hood's letter and the Assessment Team's report; Secretary Hood's letter to Governor Bush of November 19, 2003, alleging "dereliction of duty and incompetence" and recommending Oliphant's suspension; summary of suspension procedures under Article IV, Section 7 of the Florida Constitution; Governor Bush's Executive Order 03-219 suspending Oliphant from office; and transcripts of depositions of Secretary Hood, Assistant Secretary of State Candice Crawford, and Oliphant taken in June-July 2004 as part of Oliphant's legal challenge of the suspension.
Finding Aids:
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
Associated Materials:
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
General Note:
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Oliphant, Miriam. Hood, Glenda E. 1950- (Glenda Evans), Bush, Jeb
Florida. Dept. of State. Florida. Division of Elections. Broward County (Fla.). Supervisor of Elections.
Elections Florida --Broward County. Election officials Florida. Women election officials Florida.
Transcripts. aat Reports. aat
Florida Officials and employees