Gilmore v. Civil Service Board of Santa Rosa County

Gilmore appeals an order denying his petition for writ of mandamus to require the Civil Service Board of Santa Rosa County, Florida (Board) to conduct a runoff election for one of the seats on the Board. We reverse.

Gilmore contends that Chapter 79-561, Laws of Florida, the special act establishing the Board, requires that Board members be elected by a majority of the votes cast and that where no candidate for election to the Board receives a majority of the votes, a run-off election is required between the two candidates receiving the largest number of votes.

Gilmore, who was formerly a member…