Sumter County commissioners voted Tuesday night to rescind their action over a year ago to place the Reverse One Sumter referendum on the 2022 fall election ballot.
The unanimous vote came after a substantial number of referendum opponents attended the meeting with many wearing One Sumter T-shirts. A smaller number of referendum supporters also were present.
The referendum still could appear on the Nov. 8 ballot if petitions with the required signatures are filed with the county. Suspended commissioner Oren Miller, leader of the Reverse One Sumter campaign, said he has collected about 10,000 signatures and expects to add 3,000 more before turning them in. About 10,100 valid voter signatures are needed.
When One Sumter was approved in 2004, it established countywide election of all five commissioners instead of only by voters in their districts. A referendum to reverse that action was defeated four years later.
Reverse One Sumter supporters say each commissioner should be accountable to voters in their districts. Opponents say they should be accountable to all county voters. Commissioners must live in their districts.
About 40 Florida counties elect commissioners at large, according to the Florida Counties Association. Last month, Sarasota County voters defeated a referendum to return to at-large elections after converting to single-member districts four years ago.
County Chairman Craig Estep, who voted in favor of placing the referendum on the ballot in January 2021, now voted to rescind it.
Commissioners Gary Search and Miller also approved it last year. They were suspended from the board of commissioners by the governor and face perjury charges related to an investigation last year of possible Florida Sunshine Law violations.
Estep said his prior approval was due to the pandemic, which halted the collection of petition signatures.
“It was passed under a state of emergency,” he said. “The proper way is for petitions to put it on the ballot.”
Commissioner Doug Gilpin agreed.
“Turn in the petitions and that’s not a problem,” he said.
Reverse One Sumter supporters said commissioners were taking away their right to vote by stripping the measure from the ballot. Opponents said the referendum would remove their right to vote for all five commissioners.
Steve Munz said petitions are the right way to get the measure on the ballot.
“I was part of the One Sumter drive,” he said. “Let’s go through the process.”
Referendum supporter Joan Pike said gathering of petition signatures was “cut off at the knees” by the pandemic.
“I want a representative for my district,” she said.
Terry Yoder of the T&D companies said the county should retain One Sumter.
“Don’t take our vote away from us,” he said. “Every one of you is responsible to every citizen in our county.”
Kenneth Nodel said commissioners should not deny voters the right to decide.
“Are you telling us we are not educated to vote on that now?” he asked.
Samantha Scott, a Realtor and officer of the Sumter County Republican Party, called Reverse One Sumter a plot by the Democratic Party and “leftist” organizations to gain more representation for Democrats.
But Angie Fox, Miller’s wife, said Reverse One Sumter has nothing to do with a political plot.
“Put it on the ballot,” she said. “This is about people voting for what they want.”