The Florida Supreme Court has overruled a decision by the Secretary of State’s Office, concluding that the state’s term-limit rules allow state Rep. Deborah Mayfield to run in a special election for the state Senate seat she held for eight years.

The high court issued the decision on Feb. 13 in Mayfield’s appeal of a decision by Secretary of State Cord Byrd’s office refusing to allow Mayfield to run in a special primary election scheduled for April 1. Gov. Ron DeSantis called that special election after the current occupant of State Senate District 19, Randy Fine (R-Melbourne Beach), announced he was running for a congressional seat.

The Florida Department of State’s elections chief informed Mayfield on Feb. 5 that she did not qualify for a spot on the ballot. The reasoning for the decision was that the state constitution does not allow candidates to run for a legislative position they have already held for the previous eight years consecutively, according to the Supreme Court decision.