Write-in candidates, closed primaries mean some St. Lucie voters won't get say in election

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Following a trend taking place across the Treasure Coast, Democrats, independents and third-party voters in St. Lucie County may have little say about who is elected to represent them for two seats this election.

The only two races in the county that might have had open Aug. 20 primaries — with no Democrats filing for County Commission District 3 or for property appraiser — both will be closed primaries because write-in candidates qualified for the Nov. 5 general election.

There are currently 148,208 registered voters in St. Lucie County who are not registered as Republicans and will not be able to vote in those primaries. Instead, they will be able to vote in the general election, where the only name on the ballot will be the winner of the primary, with an option to write-in. Registered Republicans, about 36.8% of registered voters here, will solely decide which individual candidate appears on the November ballot.

In the property appraiser race, incumbent Michelle Franklin is seeking her third term. After two previous runs as a Democrat, Franklin is this time running as a Republican. She faces primary opponent Joseph James, a Realtor and broker who describes himself as a "lifelong Republican."

If it were just the two Republicans facing each other, the primary would be open to all registered voters, under a constitutional amendment overwhelmingly passed by Florida voters in 1998. That amendment was aimed at giving minority-party voters a say when there is no general election challenger. However, a write-in candidate can qualify without declaring a party, gathering signatures or paying a fee.

In the property appraiser race, write-in candidate Mary Jane Keegan has locked out Democrats, independents and other non-Republicans. She has no biography or other information on her candidate page, nor does she appear to have official campaign websites or social media. She did not respond to a request for comment.

A similar scenario is playing out in the District 3 County Commission race. Incumbent Linda Bartz is also seeking her third term, and also doing so as a Republican for the first time after previously running twice as a Democrat. Her Republican primary opponent is Erin Lowry, a wedding-venue owner who touts her history as a "registered Republican in St. Lucie County since 1999."

Preventing an open primary in that race is write-in candidate Stephanie Robyn Holden. Like Keegan, she has no biography or other information on her candidate page and appears to no have official campaign websites or social media. She, too, did not respond to a request to comment.

Notably, Holden's husband, Steve Holden, donated $120 to Lowry in February.

Non-Republican voters in St. Lucie County who wish to vote in these races are left with only one option: become Republicans. Voters have until July 22 to change their party registrations. However, that would bar them from voting in Democratic primaries such as for U.S. Senate and County Commission District 5.

The write-in phenomenon is common across Florida and the Treasure Coast, with at least one primary being closed this year because of a write-in candidate in Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties.

Wicker Perlis is TCPalm's Watchdog Reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach him at wicker.perlis@tcpalm.com.