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Audit questions former Seminole elections chief’s use of funds
A new audit has found that former Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Chris Anderson used taxpayer funds to pay more than $161,000 in personal legal fees — expenses current elections officials say should have come out of his own pocket.
SANFORD, Fla. - A new audit has found that former Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Chris Anderson used taxpayer funds to pay more than $160,000 in personal legal fees — expenses current elections officials say should have come out of his own pocket.
What we know:
A county audit found that former Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Chris Anderson used more than $160,000 in taxpayer funds to pay for personal legal fees.
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The expenses were tied to a defamation lawsuit filed against him in both his official and personal capacity.
The audit, conducted by Forvis Mazars Group, concluded the spending did not meet the legal threshold for "public purpose" and recommended the county attempt to recoup the money. Current Supervisor of Elections Amy Pennock agreed with the findings, saying the costs should have come from Anderson’s personal funds.
What we don't know:
The audit also did not resolve the legal interpretation dispute between Anderson and county leaders over whether his case qualified for indemnification under Florida law.
The backstory:
Anderson, who served as Seminole County’s elections chief until 2024, faced a defamation lawsuit during his tenure. The lawsuit named him in his professional role and as a private individual.
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The nonprofit handling elections oversight at the time no longer exists, and Pennock’s administration says the county inherited a "disorganized" office still dealing with deficiencies cited in the audit.
What they're saying:
Current Supervisor of Elections Amy Pennock said no legal action against Anderson is planned.
"The legal fees for him personally should have come out of his personal funds, not from the SOE’s funds," Pennock added. "In the audit, they referenced that the county should try to recoup those funds."
Anderson pushed back, saying, "Florida law entitles public officials to indemnification when sued for actions taken in good faith within the scope of their duties. I met that standard, yet Seminole County refused to provide the legal protection afforded to every other official under similar circumstances."
Comptroller Grant Maloy said, "When you’re in your official capacity, it is appropriate to use the funds from the office to defend yourself. It’s been done before. That’s not a rare thing," adding he knew of no wrongdoing on Anderson’s part.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by an audit conducted by Forvis Mazars, current Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Amy Pennock, Seminole County Comptroller Grant Maloy, and former Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Chris Anderson.