CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Five candidates have entered the race for Clay County sheriff, but as of Thursday, one name remained notably absent from the list.
Darryl Daniels, the current sheriff of Clay County, has told News4Jax that he plans to run for another term despite a scandal that involved an extramarital affair, which prompted an FDLE investigation in 2019. However, he still hasn’t filed to run for an additional term.
Atlantic Beach Police Chief Michelle Cook is the last of the five candidates to enter the race for sheriff. She filed to run on Wednesday.
READ: Atlantic Beach police chief announces run for Clay County sheriff
Some are questioning whether Daniels will file to serve an additional term. Recently, he has become more visible on social media. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office posted this video Wednesday morning on its Facebook page during a community walk in Orange Park:
News4Jax spoke with Chris Chambless, the Clay County Supervisor of Elections, who said lesser-known candidates may have more reason to file before the well-known incumbent, Daniels.
“You can file anytime before qualifying. Qualifying is not going to be until the first week of June,” Chambless said.
Chambless pointed out that there are constraints if candidates don’t file.
“You cannot solicit for contributions or start collecting petitions should that be the way you want to qualify,” he said.
A request for comment from Daniels was not immediately returned Thursday evening.