Jamaican Commissioner Seems To Have Lost Congressional Primary Election In South Florida

News Americas, BALTIMORE, MD, Fri. Nov. 12, 2021: Jamaican-born immigrant turned Broward County Commissioner, Dale V.C. Holness, has apparently lost his bid to win South Florida’s 20th Congressional District Democratic primary.

Holness has been seemingly bested by Haitian American Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick who was declared by just five votes, 10 days after Election Day.

More than 49,000 votes were cast in the Democratic primary. Results on Friday, which still must be certified by the state Elections Canvassing Commission, showed 11,662 votes for Cherfilus-McCormick to 11,657 for Holness.

“At this point in time, it’s fair to say Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is the apparent nominee of the Democratic Party,” Broward Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott said after 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12th.

Cherfilus-McCormick, however, still faces a general election in January against Republican Jason Mariner, Libertarian Mike ter Maat and two no party affiliation/independent candidates, Jim Flynn and Leonard Serratore.

If she wins, the home health care executive will be the first Haitian American Democrat to serve in Congress.

Nine other candidates sought the party nomination to fill the vacancy created by the April 6 death of U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, who served for 28 years.

Holness said Friday evening, however, he needed to consult with his attorneys to decide if he’ll challenge the primary results. He said 12 military votes that weren’t counted are tantamount to 12 voters being disenfranchised.

Earlier Friday a Broward circuit court judge rejected a move by Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick to block counting of three vote-by-mail ballots.

In the end, the three votes didn’t affect the outcome.