Brevard judge races: Smith-Rodriguez, Skinner win; county race will go to runoff

General Magistrate Kristen Smith-Rodriguez on Tuesday won the Circuit Judge Group 17 judge race against Assistant Public Defender Andrea Fant, while a three-way race for County Judge Group 6 is going to a runoff election in November.

Assistant State Attorney Jonathan Skinner also edged out private attorney Timi DeAnn Tucker to take the County Judge Group 10 race.

Only three of 10 judge races were contested this election season: Circuit Judge Group 17, and County Court Judge Groups 6 and 10. Incumbents ran unopposed in seven other races.

Smith-Rodriguez won the circuit judge race against Fant with 51.94% of the vote in Brevard and Seminole counties, with all precincts reporting.

No candidate got more than 50% of the vote in a three-way race for County Court Group 6 between Assistant State Attorney Clarissa Harrell and private attorneys Jacob "Jay" Speicher and Margaret "Maggie" Wagner. Harrell (39.43%) and Wagner (35.88%) are the contestants for a run-off election in November. Speicher got 24.69% of the vote.

In the Group 10 race, Skinner held a two-percentage point lead throughout the night to close with 51.10% of the vote.

Circuit Court judges typically handle felonies, estate and property cases, tax disputes and civil cases over $50,000, among others. They make an annual salary of $191,163.

County Court judges handle misdemeanors, small claims, traffic cases and other minor disputes. They make an annual salary of $180,616.

Both county and circuit judges serve six-year terms.

Results

Here are results with all precincts reporting:

Circuit Court Group 17

• Fant: 72,698 (48.06%)

• Smith-Rodriguez: 78,575 (51.94%)

County Court Group 6 (there will be run-off between Harrell and Wagner)

• Harrell: 37,595 (39.43%)

• Speicher: 23,539 (24.69%)

• Wagner: 34,202 (35.88%)

County Court Group 10

• Skinner: 48,795 (51.10%)

• Tucker: 46,697 (48.90%)

Incumbents win unopposed

These judges were reelected with no opposition in the race:

• Jigisa Patel-Dookoo (Circuit Court Group 7)

• Kathryn Speicher (Circuit Court Group 8)

• William S. Orth (Circuit Court Group 11)

• Charlie Crawford (Circuit Court Group 20)

• Melissa Dyan Souto (Circuit Court Group 24)

• Katie Jacobus (County Court Group 5)

• Thomas J. Brown (County Court Group 11)

See more election results here: Brevard County election results 2024.

Eric Rogers is a watchdog reporter for FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Rogers at 321-242-3717 or [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Election results 2024: New group of first-year Brevard judges elected