“We have seen in the past that our community was disappointed by some of those who had been appointed to serve in certain capacities. So for me, although it is a sacrifice — and I think oftentimes when you serve in public office, you do sacrifice a lot to serve the community — when I got the legal opinion that Aug. 31 or anything before Sept. 1 would trigger a special election, that for me was the right thing to do, to allow voters to select their replacement versus it being a gubernatorial appointment where someone will have the job for two years and that's not who the community selected to serve them.”

This election cycle, DeSantis has already appointed two judges to the Ninth Circuit Court, creating two vacancies on the Orange County Court that he will also be able to fill with his own appointees. In April, days before the first qualifying period for judicial elections opened, the governor appointed Orange County Judges Andrew Bain and Mark Skipper to the Ninth Circuit Court. While the governor appoints judges to fill out their terms, elections for their County Judge Groups 19 and 22 have been postponed until 2028.

DeSantis may also get the opportunity to appoint a county commissioner to finish Mayra Uribe’s District 3 term. Uribe, a three-term commissioner and the current frontrunner in the Orange County Mayoral race, also announced her resignation to run for Orange County Mayor. However, she indicated she would stay through Dec. 7 to vote on some critical issues coming before the commission, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Russell told VoxPopuli she had originally planned to continue as clerk until November. But Florida statute and the elections calendar wouldn't accommodate that.

“That’s two months of salary! I’m not gonna say that is not a huge shocker!” she said. “But I have been a good steward of savings … I’m going to do what any other regular person would do when they have to shift and make some adjustments.”  

She dusted off the law degree she received from Florida State University College of Law that she hasn’t been able to use for the last 18 years. Starting Sept. 1, she’ll be working at a law firm, practicing business law.

“I have kept my license active,” said Russell who served two terms as District 6 County Commissioner before getting elected as Clerk of Courts in 2014. “So  I'm going to work, right? I know that's a foreign concept for some people, but just like anybody else, you know, you go get a job, right?”

And her earlier-than-planned exit may prove helpful in the mayoral race. Russell was first into the race, filing her intent to run in March 2025, well ahead of the rest of the pack of six vying to succeed Mayor Jerry L. Demings who is term-limited and now running for governor.

But Russell, who has raised $188,635 to date, according to campaign finance reports, is currently trailing former Democratic Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy ($289,475) and Uribe ($311,493).

Since Democrats were not keen to give DeSantis any opportunity to place appointees on the county commission, according to the Orlando Sentinel, Russell’s move may prompt donors and voters to look at her campaign more closely.  

“ I hope that that decision shows them that's what kind of leader I am," Russell said. "Someone who makes courageous and bold decisions, who will lead with the interest of the voters first versus my own personal interests."