Scott Maddox | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theTallahassee City Commission for Seat 1 | |
| In office November 19, 2012 – December 12, 2018[1] | |
| Preceded by | Mark Mustian |
| Succeeded by | Elaine W. Bryant |
| Chair of theFlorida Democratic Party | |
| In office January 4, 2003 – September 13, 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Bob Poe[2] |
| Succeeded by | Karen Thurman |
| 122nd and 124thMayor of Tallahassee | |
| In office February 28, 1997 – February 28, 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Ron Weaver |
| Succeeded by | John Marks |
| In office March 2, 1995 – March 1, 1996 | |
| Preceded by | Penny Herman |
| Succeeded by | Ron Weaver |
| Member of theTallahassee City Commission | |
| In office February 1993 – March 1995 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Scott Charles Maddox (1968-03-13)March 13, 1968 (age 57) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | Florida State University (BS,JD) |
Scott Charles Maddox (born March 13, 1968) is an American politician. He was the mayor ofTallahassee, Florida, from 1995 to 1996 and from 1997 to 2005.[3] Maddox is the former chair of theFlorida Democratic Party and a former Tallahassee City Commissioner, serving from 1993 to 1995, 1996 to 1997 and from 2012 to 2018.
Maddox was indicted on December 12, 2018, on 44 charges, including racketeering, bribery, extortion, bank fraud and wire fraud, in an FBI investigation into corruption that played a key role in DemocratAndrew Gillum’s campaign for Florida governor.[4] Maddox was suspended from the Tallahassee City Commission following the indictment and subsequently replaced after the appointment of Commissioner Elaine W. Bryant, Ph.D. on December 31, 2018.[5] In September 2021, Maddox was sentenced to five years in prison.[6][7] He was released on May 9, 2023.
Scott Maddox was born inHialeah, Florida, and raised in the rural area ofHomestead, Florida, and later, inTallahassee, Florida. He graduated fromLeon High School and attendedFlorida State University, where he earned a B.S. in political science and public administration. He went on to earn a J.D. fromFlorida State University College of Law. Maddox was a member of theKappa Alpha Order men's fraternity.
In 1990, at the age of 22, Maddox ran for the Florida House of Representative's 10th district, but lost the Democratic primary by 32%. In 1993, while still in law school, Maddox became the youngest city commissioner in the city of Tallahassee's history, being elected at the age of 24, and a year later selected to become mayor pro-tempore. In 1995, the city commission chose Maddox as the city's mayor, where he worked towards improving race relations and overseeing a large expansion of city parks, greenways, and trails.[citation needed] After the residents of Tallahassee passed a referendum calling for popular elections for the office of mayor, Maddox became Tallahassee's first popularly elected city mayor in 1996.[8] In 1999, he served as president of the Florida League of Cities. Described as a "rising star" by Vice PresidentAl Gore, Maddox spoke at the 2000Democratic National Convention. Maddox attempted a run forAttorney General of Florida in 2002, but lost to futureOrlando mayorBuddy Dyer in the Democratic primary. In 2003, Maddox was elected chairman of theFlorida Democratic Party and also served as a member of theDemocratic National Committee. Though Maddox announced a run for Governor of Florida in 2006,[9] he ultimately dropped out of the race. In 2010, he served as the Democratic nominee for Florida'sCommissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, losing to Republican nomineeAdam Putnam. Maddox was elected to the Tallahassee City Commission once again in 2012. In 2015, he announced a run for Superintendent of Leon County Schools. After failing to gain traction in the Democratic primary, Maddox dropped out during qualifying week. He was subsequently re-elected to the city commission in August 2016.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Buddy Dyer | 457,704 | 37.2 | |
| Democratic | Scott Maddox | 429,651 | 34.9 | |
| Democratic | George H. Sheldon | 272,517 | 22.1 | |
| Democratic | Walt Dartland | 71,952 | 5.8 | |
| Total votes | 1,231,824 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Adam H. Putnam | 2,908,086 | 55.94 | |
| Democratic | Scott Maddox | 1,983,277 | 38.15 | |
| Tea Party of Florida | Ira Chester | 203,598 | 3.92 | |
| Independent | Thad Hamilton | 103,717 | 2.00 | |
| Total votes | 5,198,678 | 100 | ||
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Eric Copeland | Democratic nominee forFlorida Commissioner of Agriculture 2010 | Succeeded by Thad Hamilton |