A Florida election supervisor, who was sharply criticized by President Donald Trump, resigned from her post on Sunday, NBC News reports.
Brenda Snipes, who presided over the state’s recount efforts in Broward County during the Senate and gubernatorial races, announced the news on Sunday in a letter.
“Although I have enjoyed this work tremendously over these many election cycles, both large and small, I am ready to pass the torch,” she wrote in a letter addressed to Republican Gov. Rick Scott. “Therefore, I request that you accept my letter of resignation effective January 4, 2019.”
Screenshot/Fox News YouTube
Her resignation comes one day after Democrat Andrew Gillum conceded, for the second time, in Florida’s governor’s race against Republican Ron DeSantis, and the same day as longtime Florida senator Bill Nelson, admitted defeat in his senate race against Scott, following a machine and hand recount.
Trump criticized Snipes and election officials in Palm Beach County over the recount following the midterm elections, which saw Scott and DeSantis unofficially leading in votes. The president claimed, without evidence, that she was committing voter fraud.
“When will Bill Nelson concede in Florida? The characters running Broward and Palm Beach voting will not be able to “find” enough votes, too much spotlight on them now!” Trump tweeted on Tuesday.
When will Bill Nelson concede in Florida? The characters running Broward and Palm Beach voting will not be able to “find” enough votes, too much spotlight on them now!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018
In response to Trump, Snipes said last week that she doesn’t “have a treasure trove for going out digging on the beach or somewhere to find any votes,” adding that she would complete the recount by the deadline.
“There’s never been a deadline that we have missed,” she told reporters, writes NBC News.
A Broward County judge seemingly agreed with Snipes and ruled that there was no proof of voter fraud in the heavily Democratic county.
She hinted that her race might have played a factor in why she’s being targeted by GOP officials, despite other counties having election-related issues.
“It’s sort of hard to rule out race, but I won’t say, ‘Oh, I’m a black woman and that’s why.’ I’m not saying that,” Snipes said.
Snipes was appointed by former Republican governor Jeb Bush in 2003 and served as Broward County’s supervisor of elections for 15 years.
