Brandon Patty endorsed for St Johns County Clerk of Court

After careful consideration of both candidate’s qualifications for the office, the Historic City News Editorial Review Board has endorsed Brandon Patty for St Johns County Clerk of Court.  We find that Brandon is unquestionably the most qualified and experienced candidate in this race.

Patty has a Bachelor of Arts degree from George Washington University and a Master of Arts degree from the London School of Economics.  Patty is a second-generation Floridian and the first member of his family to graduate from college.

A lieutenant commander in the US Navy Reserve (currently deployed), Brandon is an information warfare officer.  His military service includes assignments at the National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office in Washington, DC, in the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and Naval Central Command 5th Fleet based at Manama, Bahrain.  

Patty has been recognized by the Office of the Secretary Defense as a patriotic employer and business leader in support of the Guard and Reserve.

Since being appointed to the post by Governor DeSantis in 2019, Patty has reinforced the office’s focus on providing superior customer service, serving as auditor and custodian of county funds, maintaining county records and partnering with the court system on behalf of all St. Johns County residents.  He manages a $16.1 million budget and a staff of over 100 employees.

Brandon’s notable accomplishments since his appointment include:

• Certified as a Florida Clerk of Court and Comptroller, a rigorous training program overseen by the Florida Supreme Court

• Launched the Property Fraud Notification and Prevention Campaign

• Developed and implemented a safe though aggressive short-term investment strategy which earned over $30 million in interest, thereby increasing funding available for county projects and priorities

• Signed on a third-party vendor management system which verifies vendor information to protect against business email compromise and other scam attempts

• Awarded Certificate for Excellence in Financial Reporting, the gold standard in governmental accounting and financial reporting, four years in a row

• Invested in increased funding and personnel to increase oversight and accountability across the Clerk’s office and county government

• Alerted residents to various scams including false missed jury notifications, false county deed records solicitations and other efforts to defraud residents.

• Fought for additional dollars and fair share of state court budget to attract and retain personnel as St Johns County’s court operations was one of the least funded in the state.

• Instituted Israel-St Johns County Friendship Day and advocated for investment policy revision banning investments in companies that participate in the Boycott, Divesture, and Sanctions movement

Brandon Patty is a devoted husband and father, He resides in St. Augustine with his wife Brittney and their three sons, Carter, Graham and Mason.