SURFSIDE, Fla. — Surfside mayoral candidate Shlomo Danzinger is disputing statements made by incumbent Mayor Charles Burkett regarding an injunction request tied to the town’s April 7 runoff election, saying Burkett’s account is inaccurate.
Danzinger’s statement was issued Sunday after Burkett over the weekend made inaccurate claims about the filing, accusing him of spreading falsehoods related to the injunction request.
Danzinger said the filing was made to address concerns that the scheduled runoff election date conflicts with religious observance for some Orthodox Jewish residents, limiting their ability to participate.
He also rejected Burkett’s characterization of the filing and related statements, saying they misrepresent both the legal action and its intent.
Danzinger said the filing is an injunction, not a lawsuit, and argues that a mayor does not have unilateral authority to change an election date, which he said is set by the town charter and would require either a referendum or court action to modify.
He added that the timing of the filing was appropriate because injunctions can only be brought once an issue becomes actionable, and said earlier action would not have been possible before the March 17 election results were known.
In his statement, Danzinger said the injunction is intended to promote unity and equal participation in the community, noting that “many candidates in this election have spoken about the importance of uniting the Surfside community.”
“We cannot have a truly united community if a meaningful portion of our residents is unable to participate in such an important election,” he said.
Danzinger said he reached out to his opponent after the March 17 election to invite her to join him in a unified effort supporting equal voting access, but said she declined.
He also encouraged residents to attend a special commission meeting scheduled for Monday at 2 p.m., where officials are expected to discuss how to respond to the request.
“The question before them is simple: do we support ensuring equal opportunity for all voters to participate by not opposing a one-week postponement, or do we take a path that may further divide our community?” he said.
“My hope is that we choose unity, fairness, and equal access for every resident,” he added.
Burkett has said the town’s election schedule was established through voter-approved changes moving municipal elections from March to November, with runoff elections set three weeks after the general election.
The injunction request remains pending before the court ahead of the scheduled runoff election.
As reported by VINnews