Alix Desulme Fights to Overturn Court Ruling as George Morgan Prepares to Take Office in North Miami

Court filings cited by the Miami Herald show that nearly 65% of ballots marked in the mayoral contest favored Alix Desulme. George Morgan was deemed elected after a judge disqualified the incumbent over how he paid his qualifying fees.

NORTH MIAMI, Fla. — George Morgan is expected to take office as North Miami’s next mayor on November 17, days after a Florida appeals court upheld the disqualification of incumbent Mayor Alix Desulme. Desulme’s attorney is preparing to seek review by the Florida Supreme Court, according to the Miami Herald.

The dispute began with two cashier’s checks Desulme submitted to qualify for the November 3 election. It later drew scrutiny to Morgan’s own payment, which Desulme’s attorneys say was initially 80 cents short. Court filings cited by the Herald show that nearly two-thirds of ballots marked in the mayoral race favored Desulme, whose name remained on ballots printed before his disqualification.

Why the court disqualified Desulme

Desulme submitted two bank-issued cashier’s checks totaling $5,392.80 when he filed to run for another term in August. One covered the $4,494 filing fee, and the other covered the $898.80 election assessment.

Morgan challenged Desulme’s qualification under Section 99.061(7)(a)1 of the Florida Statutes, which requires qualifying fees to be paid with a properly executed check drawn on the candidate’s campaign account.

Desulme’s attorney, Benedict “Ben” Kuehne, argued that campaign funds were used to purchase the cashier’s checks and that the source of the money should satisfy the law. On October 19, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Beatrice Butchko Sanchez ruled that the cashier’s checks failed to meet the statutory requirement and disqualified Desulme. Early voting was beginning, and ballots with his name had already been prepared.

Desulme’s attorneys challenge Morgan’s payment

Desulme’s legal team argued that Morgan initially paid $5,392 of the required $5,392.80. Morgan acknowledged a payment error and later submitted a check for the difference, according to reporting on the court proceedings.

Desulme’s attorneys argued that the full amount had to be submitted within the qualifying period and asked the court to apply the same strict standard to Morgan’s paperwork. On October 22, Butchko Sanchez rejected the counterclaim on procedural grounds, leaving Morgan’s qualification intact. Desulme’s team pursued the issue in a separate legal challenge.

Court filings show nearly 65% marked Desulme’s name

On October 20, Miami-Dade election officials issued a notice telling voters the mayoral race had become an unopposed contest. Morgan was deemed elected as the sole remaining qualified candidate, and officials advised voters that marking the race would have no effect on the outcome.

After the election, the Miami Herald reported that records submitted in court by Desulme’s attorney showed nearly 65% of ballots marked in the contest favored Desulme and approximately 35% favored Morgan. The figures describe the selections voters reportedly made on ballots that still listed both names. Morgan’s election followed from his status as the only qualified candidate. TELE PAM News has yet to independently verify the raw ballot counts.

Appeals court ruling leaves Morgan’s swearing-in on track

Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal affirmed Desulme’s disqualification on November 12. The panel cited the statutory requirement for a check drawn on a campaign account and an earlier North Bay Village case in which a bank-issued cashier’s check was found insufficient under the same provision. The opinion stated that it would become final after the disposition of any timely motion for rehearing.

The Miami Herald reported on November 13 that Kuehne was preparing to ask the Florida Supreme Court to review the case. The court would first have to decide whether to take it up. As of November 14, the appellate ruling remained in place.

Morgan, an engineer preparing to hold elected office for the first time, has identified infrastructure, public safety, fiscal accountability and transparency as priorities. In an interview with CBS News Miami after the October court proceedings, he said his focus was on serving North Miami residents.

Morgan’s swearing-in remains scheduled for November 17 as Desulme’s attorneys prepare their request for further review and continue to dispute whether Morgan paid the full qualifying fee on time.