Welcome to

The 2018 election may be in the rear view window, but the state is still dealing with the legal fallout.

The new Secretary of State briefed lawmakers on an array of legal challenges brought over the election.

Three statewide races were decided on razor thin margins during the 2018 election and tight elections often result in lawsuits.

“If there’s a recount where there’s not a lawsuit, you better check the lawyer directory because someone’s asleep,” said Florida Secretary of State Michael Ertel.

Ertel updated a House Committee Thursday, giving them background on 13 suits filed throughout the election.

Five suits are still ongoing.

They deal with bilingual ballots, on campus early voting, signature matching, ballot order and the preservation of ballot images.

Lawsuits aside, Ertel says the election was a success overall.

“The local supervisors of elections they did a phenomenal job, most of them, with all those recounts,” said Ertel. “Making sure everything was done well and inspired confidence in all the voters afterwards.”

The issues seen in Broward and Palm Beach Counties resulted in the resignation of one Elections Supervisor and the suspension of another.

Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher earlier this month.

The move was supported by Secretary of State Ertel.

Representative Scott Plakon says it’s a step in the right direction.

“I don’t know either of them, but I think everything comes down to leadership, whether it be the county or the state level,” said Plakon.

Republican lawmakers say they’re waiting for direction from the governor before they decide how to tackle some of the issues seen in 2018.

Representative Clay Yarborough says one thing is certain.

“The biggest thing we’re hearing from constituents is the integrity of the process and they want to make sure that there is no issues moving forward,” said Yarborough.

The state’s elections systems weren’t hacked during the election, but Secretary Ertel wants to keep a focus on cyber security.

Florida’s swing state status makes it a prime target.