Sandra Mortham

Sandra Mortham is an American lobbyist and politician who served as the 22nd Florida Secretary of State from 1995 to 1999.

Political career

Mortham was a City Commissioner from Largo, Florida from 1982 to 1986 also serving as Vice Mayor in 1985–86.

State legislature

She was a member of the Florida [House of Representatives] from 1987 to 1995 and was elected Republican Leader Pro Tempore in 1990-1992 and Republican Leader for the 1993-1994 legislative sessions. Mortham was the first woman in Florida's history to be nominated to be Speaker of the House.

Florida Secretary of State

She was the Secretary of State of Florida from 1995 to 1999. Mortham was defeated in the 1998 Republican primary by Katherine Harris, who shortly thereafter became embroiled in the controversy over the state’s handling of the vote counting in the decisive battle in the 2000 [United States presidential election in Florida].