Judge will decide on Hicks’ bid for sheriff

GOP credentials of candidate are in question

Is Raymond Hicks enough of a Republican to run as a Republican for Broward sheriff? A judge will decide.

Raymond Hicks says he’s a Republican, and wants the party’s nomination to run for Broward sheriff, but he may not fit the legal definition of Republican — and might get tossed off the Aug. 18 primary ballot.

The question of Hicks’ eligibility will be decided by Broward Chief Judge Jack Tuter, who set a hearing for Wednesday morning.

It’s yet another twist in the highly unusual campaign for sheriff, which has attracted nine candidates, including two highly controversial frontrunners, former Sheriff Scott Israel and current Sheriff Gregory Tony.

The immediate question is legal: Does Hicks meet the requirements to run as a Republican?

The most obvious question is political: Why would more than one person seek the Republican nomination for sheriff in a county that’s so Democratic that no Republican has won a countywide office in more than a decade, no Republican is even attempting to run for the County Commission this year, and only one of the 12 Broward-based state legislative seats is represented by a Republican.

H. Wayne Clark thinks he can win in November as a Republican running for sheriff. First, though, he is challenging Hicks’ candidacy.

In July 2019, Hicks filed paperwork allowing him to raise and spend money — as a Democratic candidate for sheriff.

Voter registration records show Hicks changed his voter registration to Republican in December.

On Jan. 14, he was one of seven candidates, presumably all Democrats, who appeared at a forum for the party’s candidates for sheriff sponsored by a coalition of Democratic political clubs in Coconut Creek.

In March, county records show, Hicks changed his campaign finance paperwork to say he was a Republican candidate for sheriff. On June 8,

he officially qualified as a candidate — and filed a signed oath stating he has “not been a registered member of any other political party for 365 days.”

A third Republican candidate, Casimiro Navarro, came forward on June 1 and also will be on the August primary ballot.

Clark wants Tuter to remove Hicks’ name from the ballot.

Time is tight to get the issues resolved. State law requires county supervisors of elections to send out vote-by-mail ballots to members of the armed forces and voters overseas no later than July 4

Hicks declined to comment. “I can’t go into detail right now about it,” he said when reached Tuesday by phone.

“I have to get information from my counsel.” Hicks declined to identify who is representing him.

Mark Herron, a Tallahassee attorney who practices election law, said socalled party affinity statutes have been upheld by courts. But he said he isn’t aware of attempts to get the law enforced because, typically, a candidate who wouldn’t meet the requirement decides against running.

Even though Broward’s registered voters are 50% Democratic, 29% no party affiliation/independent, and 21% Republican, Clark sees a path to victory as a Republican.

“We have spoken to a number of people who are lifelong Broward County residents who have voted Democrat for many, many years. They have said that given what’s happened in the last several years at the agency, they’re looking to make a change,” Clark said. “I think it’s unfortunate that people write of a candidate just because of party affiliation.”

“We’re going to be able to persuade a number of Democrats to come to our side,” Clark said.

On the Democratic side, both Israel and Tony have questioned each other’s political bona fides. Both are currently registered Democrats — but have been registered as Republicans in the past.

Tony was appointed sheriff by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2019 — after DeSantis removed Israel from office over what the governor said were mistakes made during the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre, in which 17 people were killed, and the 2017 Fort LauderdaleHollywood International Airport shooting, in which five people lost their lives.

Besides Israel and Tony, four other candidates — Willie Jones, Al Pollock, Andrew Smalling and Santiago Vazquez — are running as Democrats.

Hicks