Jenna Persons-Mulicka appointed as Lee County Supervisor of Elections

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka as Lee County Supervisor of Elections on Wednesday. The decision comes after Persons-Mulicka was praised by DeSantis in May as the leading candidate for the role, though the appointment was delayed due to an upcoming special session on property taxes. Persons-Mulicka, a lawyer and member of the Florida Commission on the Status of Women, has focused her legislative career on election law, government accountability, and state security. She chairs the House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee and serves on the Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting. Her election bills, including HB 991, have tightened voter identification standards and expanded citizenship verification requirements, aligning with broader conservative priorities. The position became vacant after long-serving Supervisor Tommy Doyle retired, with Bernie Feliciano serving as acting Supervisor since. Persons-Mulicka’s departure from the Florida House leaves Democrat Cindy Banyai as the sole remaining candidate for her seat in House District 78, though additional challengers are expected to emerge. DeSantis has a history of appointing legislative allies to key roles, including Secretary of State Cord Byrd, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, and CFO Blaise Ingoglia. The appointment reflects his strategy of placing trusted figures in influential positions, particularly in areas like elections and state administration. Persons-Mulicka’s election-focused legislation, including measures introduced in 2025 and 2026, has drawn comparisons to federal priorities under former President Donald Trump. The final version of her 2026 bill requires stricter citizenship verification and restricts certain forms of identification, such as student and retirement home IDs, at polling places. The Governor’s Office confirmed the appointment in a press release, though DeSantis did not provide direct comments at the time of the announcement.