@PatriciaMazzei
Presumably Carlos Lopez-Cantera will have to resign soon if, as expected, Florida Gov. Rick Scott names him lieutenant governor Tuesday.
So what would happen to Lopez-Cantera's job as Miami-Dade County property appraiser?
According to a county ordinance, his deputy would become acting property appraiser, if approved by the County Commission. That person would serve until the next countywide election, when voters would choose a new property appraiser for the remainder of Lopez-Cantera's four-year term.
He has been in office just over a year, having defeated incumbent Pedro Garcia in 2012. Lopez-Cantera's swearing-in took place in January 2013.
Lazaro Solis has held the title of deputy property appraiser in Lopez-Cantera's office, though no one at the county has confirmed that he would be the one to take over the reins.
Miami-Dade is different from other Florida counties. It has special powers granted by a home-rule charter that gives the county more authority from the state. So while the Republican governor would probably appoint the property appraiser's successor in most other counties, it looks like that wouldn't be the case here.
The next countywide election is on Aug. 26, which would give plenty of time for candidates to line up to run for the nonpartisan post. It wouldn't be surprising if Garcia himself were to seek the post again, considering he briefly challenged Lopez-Cantera's election in court and only lost by a narrow margin of votes.
This post has been updated to reflect that the County Commission does not have to vote on the deputy property appraiser.
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