Florida Term Limits Don’t Apply to Lawmakers Swapping Offices

Lawmakers who take a break or switch jobs can run for office again again, the Florida Supreme Court ruled in a decision curtailing the state’s eight-year term limit law.

Secretary of State Cord Byrd (R) used a “strikingly disingenuous argument” and went beyond his powers to block a candidate from appearing in a special state senate election, said Justice Jamie R. Grosshans writing for the majority on Thursday.

The ruling clears Rep. Debbie Mayfield (R) to run in the April election for the vacant 19th Senate District. More broadly, the decision also limits the top state election official’s power and ...