Second lawsuit filed over Delray special election

A second Delray resident has filed a lawsuit aimed at forcing the city to follow its own rules and hold a special election to fill a vacancy on the City Commission.

J. Reeve Bright, a former attorney said he wants the city “to live by” the city charter, a document that defines the city’s prohere,” cedures. “If they don’t like the charter, then they should change it,” Bright said Monday.

The court has ordered Delray commissioners to appear before a judge Dec. 30 to explain why the city should not abide by its charter. The document says Delray has two months to hold a special election and fill a vacancy on the commission if they can’t agree after two meetings.

The second lawsuit comes on heels of a similar petition by Kenneth MacNamee. However, MacNamee filed a motion to dismiss his case Friday over concerns the city would try to consolidate both lawsuits, he said. Bright has a “better drafted Writ,” MacNamee said in an email.

Bright said he thinks his approach had a better chance of getting swift action. “That’s the thing, we are under a timeline Bright said.

Bright was a Delray Beach attorney on the front lines of the 2000 presidential recount battle in Palm Beach County. He was permanently disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court in 2013 for continuing to practice law while his license was suspended. He in 2013 told the Sun Sentinel that the Florida Bar’s accusathe