DEMOCRATS WIN...IN COURT

The Florida Democratic Party won one battle, at least temporarily, Wednesday when Leon County Circuit Judge Janet Ferris ruled against signs being placed in polling places stating that a vote for former U.S. Congressman Mark Foley would be counted toward his Republican replacement candidate, State Representative Joe Negron.

The State Department of Elections had wanted to place the signs in voting booths throughout the 16th Congressional District, which includes all or part of eight counties in southeast Florida.

From Judge Ferris' ruling:

"The court is not at liberty to question the legislature's decision, or its judgment, in enacting the statute, and there can be little doubt that it understood the confusion likely to result where voters know that the person reflected on the ballot is no longer seeking the position...To interpret the election statutes relevant here as permitting the proposed intrusion into the polling place, no matter how well-intentioned that proposal may be, is an extrapolation far beyond the legislature's words."

GOP officials promise an appeal.