RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — The Florida Supreme Court effectively ended Riviera Beach Councilwoman Julia Botel's 11th-hour effort to be on the ballot for Tuesday's city election.
Earlier this month, the Fourth District Court of Appeal ruled Botel could not be on the ballot because she paid her filing fee with a cashier's check and, by law, should have paid with a check from her campaign.
Botel went to the high court to overturn the appeals court ruling.
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear Botel's case, effectively ending any chance of her reelection.
Botel has been a Riviera Beach councilwoman for the past six years and has proven one of the city's top vote-getters.
But her tenure has, at times, been marred by controversy, most notably in 2021, when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis censured her after the state Ethics Commission reported she solicited donations to her charity from vendors who did business with the city.
Botel's name will remain on the ballot, but any votes for her will not be tabulated, according to the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections.
Her ineligibility leaves her challenger, Glen Spiritus, running unopposed in representing Singer Island.
