Brevard County's Group 8 judicial election was canceled after documents show the governor's office recharacterized Judge Benjamin B. Garagozlo's retirement as a resignation, according to a week-long investigation by The Space Coast Rocket. The move, which occurred three days before the qualifying period opened, ended a campaign that two candidates had prepared for nearly a year. Judge Garagozlo did not resign. He retired. He never submitted a resignation to Governor Ron DeSantis, and he had no knowledge his retirement letter would be used to cancel the election. The documents obtained by the newspaper contradict the initial story presented by the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections. On April 15, 2026, Judge Garagozlo sent a letter to Chief Justice Carlos G. Muniz of the Florida Supreme Court stating he would retire effective December 31, 2026. The letter was copied to Chief Judge Melanie Chase of the 18th Judicial Circuit but was not addressed to the governor's office. The letter was intercepted through an administrative pipeline created by the governor's office, according to the investigation. The governor's office recharacterized the retirement as a resignation and accepted it with strategic precision, canceling the election. Two candidates, who had spent nearly a year preparing for the race, were left without a vote. The Space Coast Rocket's investigation also found no evidence that Judge Garagozlo had any involvement in the scheme. The governor's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The documents show the governor's office acted with precision to gain an appointment, according to the newspaper. The investigation is ongoing, and the newspaper is working to determine who within the governor's office was responsible for intercepting the letter. The case has raised questions about the integrity of the election process in Brevard County. The Space Coast Rocket plans to release additional documents in the coming days.