Running for political office can be a very exciting and rewarding time for an individual. Your Supervisor of Elections wants to ensure the process is as easy as possible while keeping you informed of the laws and issues surrounding your candidacy.
This document gives you some basic information you might wish to consider before deciding whether or not to pursue elected office.
WHAT LOCAL COUNTY & CITY RACES TO EXPECT ON THE 2024 BALLOT
County Judge
Sheriff
Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
Tax Collector
Property Appraiser
Supervisor of Elections
Superintendent of Schools
County Commissioner - Districts 1, 3, 5
School Board – Districts 3, 5
City Council – Districts 1, 2, 3
Soil & Water Conservation District – Seat 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING I MUST DO?
Very Important !!! You MUST file Form DS-DE 9, Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository for Candidates with the Supervisor of Elections BEFORE you collect any money toward your candidacy, spend any money in furtherance of your candidacy, collect signatures to qualify by the petition process, or open a bank account.
Within ten (10) days of filing the DS-DE 9, you must file Form DS-DE 84, Statement of Candidate, (Form DS-DE 83 if judicial candidate) in which you affirm that you have been provided access to read and understand the requirements of Chapter 106 of the Florida Statutes, which covers campaign finance laws.
Once you have filed the above-mentioned form, DS-DE 9, with the Supervisor of Elections Office, let your campaign begin !!! Make sure you are well educated on political disclaimers that must appear on signs, advertisements, mail outs, and other campaign items.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT
Once you open your campaign account, you are required to file campaign finance reports with the Supervisor of Elections on or before the designated due dates. All contributions collected, regardless of who contributes, must be tracked through the campaign account and must be reported. This includes any personal funds you as the candidate gives to yourself to further your candidacy. Contributions also include expenses paid for by others and must be reported as an in-kind contribution to your campaign account. Any expenditures expended throughout your candidacy must also be reported, even if these funds are paid for by yourself out of your personal money. If you have no activity in your campaign account for a certain reporting period, you may file a waiver of report. Reports shall be filed no later than midnight on the date due and must be filed through the online candidate financial reporting portal which can be accessed through the Supervisor of Elections website – www.taylorelections.com. Make sure you complete all campaign finance reports completely, correctly, and in a timely manner.
CAMPAIGN REPORT LATE FILING FEES
Pursuant to F.S. 106.07 (8)(b) - A candidate who does not file a report on the designated due date will be subject to a fine of $50 per day for the first 3 days late and, thereafter, $500 per day for each late day, not to exceed 25% of the total receipts or expenditures, whichever is greater, for the period covered by the report. However, for reports immediately preceding the primary and general elections, the fine will be $500 per day for each late day, not to exceed 25% of the total receipts or expenditures, whichever is greater, for the period covered by the late report. Such fine shall be paid to the filing office within 20 days after receipt of the notice of payment due, unless an appeal is made to the Federal Elections Commission pursuant to paragraph (c). All fines are to be paid out of the candidate's personal funds and not the campaign funds. These fines cannot be reported as a campaign expenditure.
TERMINATION REPORTS
Termination reports are due with the Supervisor of Elections office within 90 days of a candidate becoming unopposed, withdrawing from their candidacy, being eliminated, or becoming elected to office. Any candidate failing to file a termination report by the due date will be subject to a $50 per day for each late day, not to exceed 25% of the total receipts or expenditures, whichever is greater, for the period covered by the late report.
2024 CALENDAR OF REPORTING DATES AND TERMINATION REPORTS
You will be provided a list of reporting dates once you file your initial paperwork and are given a candidate handbook.
QUALIFYING FEE or PETITIONS
Pay the qualifying fee as listed below based on the office seeking. Qualifying fees are payable from the candidate’s campaign account. For partisan candidates the qualifying fee is 6% of the annual salary and for nonpartisan candidates the qualifying fee is 4% of the annual salary. Checks are made payable to the Taylor County Supervisor of Elections.
County Judge - $172,015 x 4% = 6,880.60
Sheriff - $151,479 x 6% = 9,088.74
Clerk, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections - $115,629 x 6% = 6,937.74
Superintendent of Schools - $122,478.00 x 6% = $7,348.68
County Commissioners - $34,445.00 x 6% = $2,066.70
School Board - $32,417.00 x 4% = $1,296.68
City Council - $25.00 plus 1% election assessment
$14,175 x 1% = $141.75
Please note there is an additional 1% election assessment that city candidates must pay as required by the Florida Elections Commission (if the candidate is financially unable to pay the 1% election assessment a signed sworn statement may be completed)
Soil & Water Conservation District - $25.00
Please note SB1078 signed into law on June 15, 2022, now states the following: To qualify to serve on the governing body of a district, a supervisor must be an eligible voter who resides in the district and who:
1. Is actively engaged in, or retired after 10 years of being engaged in, agriculture as defined in S. 570.02;
2. Is employed by an agricultural producer; or
3. Owns, leases, or is actively employed on land classified as agricultural under S. 193.461
OR
Complete the candidate petition process…
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obtain certified petition signatures of 1% of the total number of registered voters in the district, in which the candidate is seeking as of the last general election. (County Offices Only)
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obtain certified petition signatures of 100 registered voters residing in the city district in which you are seeking as per requirements of the City Charter (City Offices Only)
PETITION SIGNATURES REQUIRED FOR 2024:
Candidate Petition Due Date
(Noon) May 13, 2024
County Court Judge - 129 petitions
Sheriff, Clerk, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections and
Superintendent of Schools - 129 petitions
County Commissioner/District 1 – 24 petitions
(Precincts 12, 14)
County Commissioner/School Board District 3 - 38 petitions
(Precincts 3,4,5,10, 11)
County Commissioner/School Board District 5 – 18 petitions
(Precincts 9, 13)
City Council – 100 petitions in lieu of paying $25.00 filing fee along with sworn statement of inability to pay
(Districts 1, 2, 3)
PETITION PROCESS:
Before collecting any signatures, the candidate MUST file a form DS-DE 9, Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository with the Supervisor of Elections. The format of the petition shall be prescribed by the Division of Elections and shall be used by candidates to reproduce petitions for circulation. The Supervisor of Elections office shall be paid 10 cents for each signature checked.
Once the candidate has obtained the number of certified signatures, the Supervisor of Elections office will provide a certification that the candidate has obtained the signatures necessary for the petition process.
CITY CANDIDATES QUALIFYING REQUIREMENTS ONLY:
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Reside within the limits of the city and within the boundaries of the district for which the candidate seeks to qualify for at least six (6) months prior to the date of their qualifying for office. Per City Charter – six months prior to qualifying is December 10, 2023
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Oath of Candidate (Article II, Section 2.02(A) – City Charter)
Contact Information
Taylor County Supervisor of Elections
Dana Southerland
433 U S 19 N, Perry, Florida 32347
Tel. (850) 838-3515, Fax (850) 838-3516
email: vote@taylorelections.com
web: www.taylorelections.com
Division of Elections Web Site
dos.myflorida.com/elections
Revised February 27, 2023