Lake County GOP demands property appraiser candidate drop out over ‘election fraud’ scheme on qualifying day

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – The Lake County Republican Party called for property appraiser candidate Mark Jordan to drop out, and for Tax Collector David Jordan to resign, over alleged “election fraud and deception.”

In a letter, Lake County GOP Chairman Anthony Sabatini said that the current property appraiser, Carey Baker, has a history of registering with the county as a “write-in” candidate to save money on the “high qualifying fee” – assuming Baker has no other opponent. This ensures his automatic victory, facing no opposition.

Sabatini said that as of the qualifying time, at 11:59 a.m. on Friday, June 15, Baker was indeed the only qualified candidate for property appraiser, and identified as a write-in.

Jordan was filed for a seat on the North Lake County Hospital board. Sabatini alleged that shortly after 12 p.m. on the qualifying date, when the “doors were closed and locked,” Jordan and Tax Collector David Jordan waited for Baker to leave, withdrew his candidacy from the hospital board and then filed for the GOP nomination for property appraiser.

Sabatini said Jordan, therefore, stole the nomination from Baker.

“Because he timed it to 12pm, Baker could no longer qualify for office as the Republican nominee,” Sabatini said. “This disturbing act of election fraud and political deception is potentially criminal and unbecoming of any candidate for public service, and has no parallel in the history of our county or state.”

“Mr. Jordan is likely to win election, unless he corrects his immoral error and withdraws from the race immediately,” he said, calling on Lake County GOP voters to call Jordan and demand his “immediate withdrawal.”

“We also call on ALL elected Republican officeholders to speak out and post publicly their denouncement of this immoral act,” Sabatini said.

Sabatini further said Jordan will be censured and expelled from the local GOP, banned from GOP events and barred from “any recognition” by the party.

“Further, we will draft a demand to Governor DeSantis to REMOVE Mr. Jordan from office for the cause of misfeasance, in accordance with Article 4, Section 13 of the Florida Constitution,” he said.

The local GOP is also planning to contact the local state attorney, urging criminal charges “for fraud in connection with an election.”