County Commission Votes No Confidence in Two Charged Colleagues, Asks DeSantis to Remove Them

The St. Johns County Commission voted 3-2 on Tuesday to formally denounce two of its own members and ask Gov. Ron DeSantis to remove them from office, after Commissioners Sarah Arnold and Christian Whitehurst were criminally charged in connection with a "fake voter guide" scheme during the 2024 primary. Because these are the same officials who set the county budget, tax rate and growth decisions that shape daily life in St. Augustine, the outcome bears directly on who steers those choices in the months ahead.

Commissioners Krista Joseph, Clay Murphy and Ann Taylor voted for the measure of no confidence. Arnold and Whitehurst — both attending the meeting remotely by phone — voted no. The board also directed the county attorney's office to send a letter to the governor requesting that he remove or suspend the pair, according to local news reports.

Both commissioners said they have no intention of stepping down.

What the vote does — and doesn't do

The practical effect of Tuesday's action is uncertain. County Attorney Rich Komando said afterward that the direction of the commission was unclear to him based on the statements made before, during and after the vote, and that he planned to work to clarify what the board actually wanted, according to local media outlets.

A no-confidence vote is a public rebuke, not a removal. Only the governor can suspend a sitting county commissioner facing charges, which is why the board coupled its vote with the letter to DeSantis.

There was also visible discord on the dais about the letter itself. Murphy, who had initially opposed the measure, said afterward that he did not support sending the request to the governor. Asked whether he wanted a re-vote, he declined, saying he would live with the vote he had already cast and calling it his own mistake, per local reports.

The commissioners' response

During public comment, a series of residents called for Arnold and Whitehurst to resign. Taylor directly asked the two whether they intended to step down, arguing their alleged actions had damaged public trust in the board and that voters had been deceived.

Arnold noted that only about a dozen speakers had addressed the charges and said she would not resign. Her term ends this year, and she is not seeking reelection. Whitehurst also said he had no plans to resign; his four-year term runs until 2028.

The two commissioners are scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 3.

How the "fake voter guide" case began

The charges stem from mailers that circulated ahead of the 2024 election. According to reports, Arnold, Whitehurst and former St. Augustine Beach Mayor Dylan Rumrell — now a St. Augustine Beach city commissioner — each face two misdemeanor counts tied to a voter guide that was made to look like an official slate of endorsements from the local Republican Party.

The 2024 county races had split local Republicans. The party's executive committee endorsed a slate of newcomers — including Taylor, Murphy and Ann-Marie Evans — who ran against sitting incumbents over the pace of local growth. Despite that, many voters received a guide that falsely indicated the party had instead endorsed the incumbents, reports say.

Investigators with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement allege the mailers were assembled at a rented St. Augustine house being used as a campaign headquarters, then sent from Orlando and Jacksonville to conceal their origins, according to charging documents described in local reporting. A charging affidavit alleges the fake guide copied the official Republican committee's logo — reversing its colors — and omitted the legally required language identifying who produced and paid for it.

Others are named in the case as well. Campaign consultant Brianna Jordan, who worked on several local races, faces an additional felony count of tampering with evidence, according to reports. The people charged are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Why it matters locally

Evans lost to Whitehurst in 2024 by fewer than 1,000 votes and has said publicly she believes the fake guide cost her the seat. Since the charges were announced, a state lawmaker from St. Augustine has endorsed Evans for the District 1 seat should DeSantis remove Whitehurst, local reports say.

For now, the county waits on two fronts: the governor's response to the removal request, and the Aug. 3 arraignments. Until either produces a decision, both commissioners remain in office and continue to vote on the budget, tax and land-use matters that reach into St. Augustine neighborhoods.

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