Fernandina Recall Petitions Against Commissioners Minshew and Poynter Submitted for Verification

Recall FB 2026 Chair Pat Gass

By Mike Lednovich/Editor

Recall petitions targeting Fernandina Beach City Commissioners Genece Minshew and Tim Poynter have been submitted to the Nassau County Supervisor of Elections and are now awaiting verification, according to an update delivered during Tuesday’s City Commission meeting.

Speaking during public comment, Recall FB 2026 chair Pat Gass told commissioners that organizers turned in the first round of recall petitions last week and that election officials are now reviewing the signatures.

“In the spirit of transparency, I want to share with you that last Friday, February 27th at 8:30 a.m., Recall FB 2026 delivered recall petitions to the City Clerk of Fernandina Beach,” Gass said.

According to Gass, the petitions were initially counted by City Clerk Caroline Best and Deputy Clerk Kim Briley before being sealed and transported to the Nassau County Supervisor of Elections office under a documented chain of custody.

“The completed petitions were then placed in tamper-resistant bags and transported to the office of the Nassau County Supervisor of Elections,” Gass said, noting the transfer was witnessed by city officials and recall organizers.

The recall effort targets Minshew and Poynter, both of whom have faced criticism for supporting paid parking in historic downtown from the citizen group behind the campaign.

Under Florida law, recall organizers must first gather signatures equal to 10% of the city’s registered voters to move the process forward.

Gass said the submitted petitions exceeded that threshold.

“Florida statute calls for 10% of the registered voters in the City of Fernandina to have signed a petition,” she said. “The official total after counting was 1,465 petitions for Commissioner Minshew and 1,458 petitions for Commissioner Poynter.”

Gass added that the totals exceeded the minimum required by about 320 signatures for each commissioner.

The Nassau County Supervisor of Elections now has 30 days to verify the signatures on the petitions.

If enough valid signatures are confirmed, the process moves to the next stage of Florida’s municipal recall procedure.

At that point, the targeted officials — in this case Minshew and Poynter — would have five days to submit written rebuttals that would be included on the recall petition forms distributed in the next phase.

Once those rebuttals are attached, recall organizers must gather a second round of signatures equal to 15% of registered city voters within 60 days in order to trigger a recall election.

The group Recall FB 2026 launched the effort earlier this year amid political tensions at City Hall, including disputes over paid parking policy decisions and governance issues that have divided residents and commissioners.

Under Florida law, recall petitions must allege specific grounds such as malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, or permanent inability to perform official duties.

The recall campaign first became public when organizers began collecting signatures in historic downtown Fernandina Beach, including at the city’s Saturday Farmers Market.

If the second round of signatures is successfully gathered and certified, the issue would ultimately be decided by voters in a special recall election.

Gass said the group will continue providing updates as the verification process moves forward.

“This is just to keep you informed in the spirit of transparency,” she told commissioners.