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Politics
Judge says commission seat is Rocco's
Early edition: Even though Rose Rocco didn't live in the district when she was elected, a judge ruled she is still eligible to hold the District 2 seat on the Hernando County Commission.
By ASJYLYN LODER
Published December 21, 2006
Rose Rocco was sworn in as the fifth member of the Hernando County Commission today after a judge ruled that she is eligible to take the disputed District 2 seat. Rocco won the Nov. 7 election by 1,444 votes. But former Commissioner Hannah “Nancy” Robinson disputed the win, saying Rocco wasn’t a qualified candidate because she didn’t live in the district on Election Day. Rocco moved to the district after Nov. 7 but before the results were official. Rocco’s attorneys said that was all the law required. Circuit Judge John W. Booth agreed. In a potentially precedent-setting ruling, Booth said Rocco could be certified as the winner and claim the seat. Within an hour of the Thursday morning ruling, Hernando Elections Supervisor Annie Williams had issued Rocco a certificate of election. “It’s a complete win,” said Ronald G. Meyer, the lead attorney for Rocco. “Needless to say, Rose is delighted.”
Roccco has been waiting for the news since Robinson filed suit Nov. 14, shortly after being feted at her final commission meeting. Rocco was supposed to take office Nov. 21, but Booth temporarily delayed the swearing-in ceremony, leaving the commission with just four members. Said Meyer: “I am hoping they don’t appeal. We hope that the will of the electorate will be honored.”
[Last modified December 21, 2006, 13:08:08]
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by vic
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12/24/06 04:31 AM
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The supervisor of elections should never have accepted the Rocco registration in the first place. None of this mess was nessesary, rules were in place prior to the election date, and have not been reconised by the Judge.
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by Jimmy
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12/21/06 08:26 PM
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I think the subcaption in this story shows bias. The reporter holds herself out as the legal authority relative to residency and time of election.
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by Maureen
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12/21/06 08:01 PM
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As a republican, I voted for Robinson;
but, the voters have spoken and Rose Rocco should have the seat......If her living in the wrong district was a problem; then it should have been addressed at he onset of the campaign, not after the election.
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by john
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12/21/06 04:29 PM
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Rocco won the majority of voters, unless their was tampering of the voting count, how does anyone have the right to deny the people who voted for Rocco.
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