RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Riviera Beach City Councilwoman Julia Botel will be on the ballot to seek re-election in her Singer Island district during the March 19 elections, a judge ruled Wednesday.
In November, then-city clerk Tawanna Smith ruled Botel ineligible for the ballot because she used a personal check to pay her filing fee and because she got her applications turned in several minutes after a noon deadline.
She argued she made a good-faith effort to file and made her decision just two hours before the filing deadline.
Circuit Judge Scott Kerner agreed with Botel and ruled she should be on the ballot.
Botel was censured by Gov. Ron DeSantis three years ago when he determined she used her office to solicit donations for her charity.
Botel has served two terms.
