Voters in Riviera Beach will have a choice on the ballot in March that they didn't think they'd have as recently as last fall.
A Palm Beach County Judge ruled on Wednesday that Councilwoman Dr. Julia Botel will be on the ballot, seeking re-election in her Singer Island district during the March 19th elections.
Now-former Riviera Beach city clerk Tawanna Smith in November ruled Botel was ineligible after she used a personal check to pay her filing fee and got her application turned in several minutes past the deadline. Botel had argued that she made a good-faith effort to file after making a last minute decision to run.
Circuit Judge Scott Kerner ruled in favor of the councilwoman.
Botel was censured by the governor three years ago for using her office to solicit donations for her charity.