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Florida signature requirements
From Ballotpedia
Contents |
Federal offices
In Florida, candidate fees consist of three parts, the filing fee, an election assessment, and a party assessment. The amount of each component is a percentage of the office's annual salary. The filing fee is 3%, the election assessment is 1%, and the party assessment is 2%.[1][2]
As such, partisan candidate must pay a fee equal 6% of the office's annual salary. Independent candidates must pay a fee equal to 4% of the salary--the 2% party assessment is not required.[2]
Candidates, partisan or otherwise, may also qualify for the ballot by petition. Candidates must collect signatures equal to 1% of the total number of registered voters in the district.[3] Write-in and independent candidates must file a candidate oath. Partisan candidates must additionally file a statement of party. There is no fee to file as a write-in candidate.[1]
Note: For any election in a redistricting year (most recently 2012), petitioning candidates must collect signatures equal to 1/3% of the district's ideal population. Signers need not be residents of the relevant district.[4]
U.S. Senate
In 2012, partisan candidates must pay a filing fee of $10,440. Non-partisan candidates must pay $6,960.[5]
U.S. House
In 2012, partisan candidates must pay a filing fee of $10,440. Non-partisan candidates must pay $6,960.[5]
Filing deadlines
2012
Qualifying forms may be submitted between May 21 and June 8, 2012.[6]
State offices
In Florida, candidate fees consist of three parts, the filing fee, an election assessment, and a party assessment. The amount of each component is a percentage of the office's annual salary. The filing fee is 3%, the election assessment is 1%, and the party assessment is 2%.[1][2]
As such, partisan candidate must pay a fee equal 6% of the office's annual salary. Independent candidates must pay a fee equal to 4% of the salary--the 2% party assessment is not required.[2]
Candidates, partisan or otherwise, may also qualify for the ballot by petition. Candidates must collect signatures equal to 1% of the total number of registered voters in the district.[7] Write-in and independent candidates must file a candidate oath. Partisan candidates must additionally file a statement of party. There is no fee to file as a write-in candidate.[1]
Note: For any election in a redistricting year (most recently 2012), petitioning candidates must collect signatures equal to 1/3% of the district's ideal population. Signers need not be residents of the relevant district.[8]
Statewide executive offices
There are no elections for Florida's state executives in 2012.
State legislature
In 2012, partisan candidates must pay a filing fee of $1,781.82. Non-partisan candidates must pay $1,187.88.[5]
Filing deadlines
2012
Qualifying forms may be submitted between May 21 and June 8, 2012.[9]
Ballot measures
To place a constitutional amendment on the ballot, proponents must collect at least 8% of the total number of statewide ballots cast in the previous Presidential election. To place a call for a constitutional convention on the ballot, proponents must collect 15% of the total number of statewide ballots cast in the previous Presidential election.
| Year | Amendment | Convention |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 676,811 | 1,267,449 |
| 2010 | 676,811 | 1,267,449 |
| 2008 | 611,009 | 1,145,642 |
See law: Florida Constitution, Article XI, Section 3-4
Basis of calculation
In Florida, 8,460,133 voters cast a presidential vote in 2008, the most recent presidential year. The number of signatures required will, therefore, not change again until after the 2012 presidential election.[10]
Geographical distribution
- See also: Distribution requirement
Proponents must obtain signatures equaling at least 8% of the district-wide vote (in the most recent presidential election) in at least 14 of the state's 27 congressional districts.
Circulation period
Initiative petitions can be circulated indefinitely. However, signatures are no longer valid four years after they are signed, which means that initiative supporters must obtain the required number of signatures within a four-year period.
Signature deadlines
2012
The deadline to submit signatures for a initiated constitutional amendment on the 2012 ballot in Florida is February 1, 2012[11].
Local recall
- See also: Laws governing recall in Florida
Signatures must be collected at two points in the recall process in Florida, once before the recall target has provided a 200-word defense and one after that.
First round of signatures
The number of signatures required to force a local recall election in Florida varies depending on the number of registered voters residing in the relevant district (city, district or charter county), as per this chart:
| Number of registered voters in jurisdiction | Signature requirement |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 500 | 50 registered voters, or 10% |
| 500-1,999 | 100 registered voters, or 10%, whichever is greater |
| 2,000-4,999 | 250 registered voters, or 10%, whichever is greater |
| 5,000-9,999 | 500 registered voters, or 10%, whichever is greater |
| 10,000-24,999 | 1,000 registered voters, or 10%, whichever is greater |
| 25,000 or more | 1,000 registered voters, or 5%, whichever is greater |
Second round of signatures
If the first set of signatures is found to be sufficient, the recall target is then invited to write a statement of defense. This must be done within 5 days of the time that it is determined that the initial signatures were sufficient. If the recall target provides a defense statement, the clerk of the relevant jurisdiction creates a document known as a "Recall Petition and Defense." Once this document is created and provided to the recall committee, the recall committee must then collect more signatures, equalling "15% of the electors" in the relevant jurisdiction within 60 days after the time that the "Recall Petition and Defense" was delivered by the jurisdiction's clerk to the chair of the recall committee.
Once collected, the second set of signatures are given to the county's supervisor of elections, along with 10 cents for each name to be checked.
The supervisor of elections must inspect the second set of signatures within 30 days.
See also
- Signature requirements and deadlines for 2012 U.S. Congress elections
- Signature requirements and deadlines for 2012 state legislative elections
- Laws governing the initiative process in Florida
- History of Initiative & Referendum in Florida
External links
- Florida Department of State, "Candidate petition handbook," December 2011
- Florida Department of State, "2012 Federal Qualifying Handbook," October 2011
- Florida Department of State, "2012 State Qualifying Handbook," November 2011
- Florida Department of State, Congressional District Requirements 2010 & 2012
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 2011 Florida Statutes, 99.061
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2011 Florida Statutes, 99.092
- ↑ Florida Statutes, 99.095
- ↑ 2011 Florida Statutes, 99.09651
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Fees, "2012 Qualifying Fees," May 4, 2012
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "2012 Qualifying Information," accessed May 2, 2012
- ↑ Florida Statutes, 99.095
- ↑ 2011 Florida Statutes, 99.09651
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "2012 Qualifying Information," accessed May 2, 2012
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Congressional District Requirements"
- ↑ [Confirmed with Florida Elections Division on 01-27-2011, via phone]
