St. Johns County Commissioners Sarah Arnold and Christian Whitehurst are criminally charged in connection with a fake voter guide scheme in 2024. | St. Johns County
Published on July 22, 2026 at 4:15 pm
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Three members of the St. Johns County Commission voted this week to denounce and request the removal of their peers who were recently charged with crimes.
Krista Joseph, Clay Murphy and Ann Taylor approved a vote of no confidence Tuesday afternoon against County Commissioners Sarah Arnold and Christian Whitehurst, who are charged with misdemeanors in connection with a fake voter guide scheme in 2024.
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The vote against the two commissioners instructed the county attorney’s office to send a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis requesting that he remove Arnold and Whitehurst from their positions.
After the meeting Tuesday, County Attorney Rich Komando told Jacksonville Today that the effects of the no-confidence vote were unclear.
“Based upon the statements before, during and after the motion/vote, it is unclear to me as to the direction of the Commission,” Komando said in an email. “I plan to work tomorrow to clarify this direction.”
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As of publication, Komando had not provided any additional information.
St. Johns County’s reaction
The public comment period of Tuesday’s County Commission meeting included a number of speakers calling for Arnold and Whitehurst to resign.
Commissioner Taylor directly asked the two whether they intended to step down, saying their alleged actions had damaged the public’s trust of the board.
“They’ve deceived the voters in this county, and the message was loud and clear this morning that something needs to be done,” she said.
Arnold said just 12 commenters had addressed the charges and she would not step down. Her term is up this year, and she is not running for reelection.
Whitehurst, who, along with Arnold, was attending Tuesday’s meeting remotely, said he also had no plans to resign. His four-year term on the County Commission continues until 2028.
Taylor called on the rest of the County Commission to pass a vote of no confidence against the two and to send a letter to DeSantis asking for their immediate removal.
That measure passed by a 3-2 vote, with Arnold and Whitehurst voting no.
After its passage, Commissioner Clay Murphy, who initially opposed the vote, said he did not support sending a letter to DeSantis.
Asked by Komando whether he supported a do-over, Murphy said he would live with his vote.
“I don’t think there’s any reason to re-do the motion,” Murphy said. “The motion was what it is. It was my mistake. I voted for it, so let’s just live with it.”
Commissioners Arnold and Whitehurst voted against Taylor’s measure of no confidence.
Since the announcement of the criminal charges, state Rep. Kim Kendall, R-St. Augustine, has endorsed Ann-Marie Evans, who lost to Whitehurst in 2024, for the District 1 seat if DeSantis removes him.
Arnold and Whitehurst’s arraignments are scheduled for Aug. 3.
