GOP Hillsborough school board candidate doesn’t ‘remember’ signing petitions for abortion, marijuana efforts

TAMPA, Fla. – Julie Magill, a Republican candidate for Hillsborough School Board District 1, told Florida’s Voice she “doesn’t remember” signing petitions for abortion and marijuana ballot amendments which will be on the general election ballot in November.

Florida’s Voice aksed Magill about her support of the ballot initiatives along with her switch to registering as a Republican in 2023.

“While I do not recall signing either petition, I cannot say with certainty that I didn’t. And during the general election these two initiatives will be voted on based on their merits or lack thereof and the people’s voice will be heard,” Magill said in a statement.

It was previously reported abortion rights activists received enough signatures for a constitutional amendment to appear on the 2024 ballot which aims to protect the right to abortion. For it to pass, at least 60% must vote in favor.

The abortion ballot amendment legalizes a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy up until the point of “viability” and eliminate a legal requirement for parental consent for underaged abortions.

The marijuana initiative would legalize the drug for recreational use throughout the state.

According to a voter audit report from the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections, Magill became a Republican in August of 2023 after she switched from being Independent. She previously switched from Republican to Independent in September 2022.

Magill told Florida’s Voice she owned the website “www.PresidentTrump.com” since 2013 and said received “death threats” from owning the website and was concerned her business would be “targeted.”

“However, after I decided to run for office, having been disappointed in the caliber of representation I had witnessed, I promptly went to the republican office for a meeting and to learn about running. It was at this point I remembered I had gone to NPO status and I promptly switched back to the Party,” Magill said.

When it comes to abortion, Magill said she does not support it and “definitely does not remember” signing the abortion petition.

“Is it possible that I could have signed this petition while I was distracted running out of the grocery store? Sure, it’s possible under some set of circumstances I may have signed it, but it would not have been something I would have knowingly signed,” Magill said.

“However, I return to my original question, should everyone’s voice be heard in our Constitutional Republic? You might take this statement out of context, but signing a petition to give someone the opportunity to have their voice heard is not the same as supporting the initiative,” Magill continued.

In regards to the marijuana initiative, Magill said she questions the “potential validity” of the petition for “at least two reasons.”

“First, I do not know what my Voter ID number is without my card, and the only time I carry my card is when I go to my local precinct to vote. Therefore, I have no idea how my Voter ID number is listed on the petition,” Magill said.

Magill said additionally, the petition’s validity should be challenged “based on the fact that it was not properly sworn.”

“The date this petition was alleged to have been signed by me was in 1963,” Magill said.

Florida’s Voice inquired about the petition to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.

“It appears that on one of these petitions the voter’s date of birth was entered as the date signed. Without a valid date signed, the petition should not have been accepted. That was an office error,” a representative from the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections said.

The representative said this is “not an unusual error” but noted if voters believe petitions were fraudulently submitted, it can be investigated by the Office of Election Crimes & Security.

Magill is running against incumbent Nadia Combs and Layla Collins.