A Florida county clerk facing five felony charges will remain on the November ballot after the deadline for Republicans to substitute another candidate passed without action. Mike Caruso, the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, was arrested on charges involving the alleged sexual abuse of a child described as a family member.

Charges and Suspension

Caruso was charged with five felony counts and has been held without bond in Orange County since his arrest. He has denied the allegations. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who appointed Caruso to the clerk position last year, suspended him from office shortly after the arrest, describing the accusations as “truly horrific allegations,” as reported by idahonews.com.

The suspension removes Caruso from his official duties, but his name on the November ballot is a separate matter governed by election law deadlines — deadlines that have now lapsed.

What the Deadline Means

With the replacement window closed and Caruso still in the race, Palm Beach County voters will see his name on their November 3 general election ballots. Caruso has not withdrawn from the race, and as long as that remains the case, no substitution is possible.

However, if Caruso were to withdraw at some point after the deadline, Florida Republicans would have the option to designate a replacement candidate through party channels. That replacement’s name would not appear on the printed ballot, but any votes cast for Caruso would legally count toward whoever the party designates in his place. The primary election audit has been completed and results finalized.

A Complicated Path Forward

The situation creates an unusual dynamic heading into November. Voters choosing the Republican option for Palm Beach County Clerk would effectively be casting a ballot for a suspended officeholder facing serious felony charges — with the outcome potentially determined by a party-designated replacement behind the scenes if Caruso eventually steps aside.

Caruso remains in custody without bond as the case proceeds through the courts.

Election filing deadlines are a recurring pressure point this cycle. Idaho is among six states with write-in candidate filing deadlines closing out in September, a separate but related example of how statutory windows shape who ultimately appears before voters in November.