How Can I Run For Office

What is a Candidate?

A candidate is defined in 97.021(4), Florida Statues, as any person to whom any one or more of the following applies:

Any person who seeks to qualify for nomination or election by means of the petitioning process;
Any person who seeks to qualify for election as a write-in candidate;
Any person who receives contributions or makes expenditures, or gives his or her consent for any other person to receive contributions or make expenditures, with a view to bringing about his or her nomination or election to, or retention in, public office;
Any person who appoints a treasurer and designates a primary depository; or
Any person who files qualification papers and subscribes to a candidate's oath as required by law.

However, this definition does not include any candidate for a political party executive committee.

Who can be a Candidate?

Anyone who is a registered voter in Seminole County;
Anyone who is not a registered member of another political party other than the one under which they are filing/qualifying;
Anyone who has not been a candidate for nomination for any other political party for a period of six (6) months preceding the general election. The 2010 deadline is May 2, 2010.
County Commission candidates must reside in the district for which they are qualifying at the time of assuming office;
School Board candidates must reside in the district for which they are qualifying at the time of qualifying;
If required, one's current position or office must be resigned under the "resigned to run" law ten (10) days prior to the first day of qualifying 99.012(3), Florida Statutes.

When do I announce my candidacy?

Candidacy may be announced at any time;
Must file Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository (Form DS-DE 9) with the Supervisor of Elections office before any contributions are accepted or expenditures are made (106.021, Florida Statutes);
Must file a Statement of Candidate (Form DS-DE 84) within ten (10) days of filing the Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository (106.023, Florida Statutes). The Statement of Candidate is provided by the Supervisor of Elections;

Is it possible to run for a different office after I become a candidate?

Yes, permitted under 106.021(1)(a), Florida Statutes, you may change your mind and run for a different office after becoming a candidate, providing that you:

File a new Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository, designating the new office;
Within 15 days of the new appointment, notify, in writing, all contributors and offer to return their contributions pro rata. The Request for Return of Contributions (Form DS-DE 86) may be used for such purpose;
If, after 30 days from this notice, the contributor has not requested his contribution to be returned, you may use the funds in the campaign for your newly designated office.

The 2010 Election Dates:

2010 Primary Election

Book Closing Date July 26, 2010
Date of Election August 24, 2010

2010 General Election

Book Closing Date October 4, 2010
Date of Election November 2, 2010

Which Federal officials are to be elected in 2010?

United States Senator
United States Representative, District 3
United States Representative, District 7
United States Representative, District 24

Which State officials are to be elected in 2010?

Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Chief Financial Officer
Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Florida Senate, District 20
Florida Senate, District 22
Florida Senate, District 24
Florida State Representative, District 25
Florida State Representative, District 33
Florida State Representative, District 34
Florida State Representative, District 37

Which County officials are to be elected in 2010?

County Commissioner, District 2
County Commissioner, District 4
School Board Member, District 1
School Board Member, District 2
School Board Member, District 5
18th Judicial Court (two races)
Seminole County Court (one race)
Soil and Water Conservation District, Group 1
Soil and Water Conservation District, Group 3
Soil and Water Conservation District, Group 5

Which municipal offices are to be elected in 2010?

Altamonte Springs
(Two commission seats in 2010)
Casselberry
(Three commission seats in 2010)
Lake Mary
(Mayor and two commission seats in 2010)
Longwood
Oviedo
(Three council seats in 2010)
Sanford
(Mayor and two commission seats in 2010)
Winter Springs
(Mayor and two commission seats in 2010)

When and where do I file my qualifying papers?

Pursuant to 99.061, Florida Statutes, non-judicial candidates must file qualifying papers in the office of the Supervisor of Elections any time between noon of the 71st day and noon of the 67th day prior to the primary election.

Judicial candidates must file qualifying papers between noon of the 120th day and noon of the 116th day prior to the primary election.

Qualifying papers will be accepted at the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections office any time during the qualifying period. If you wish to qualify by mail, you may forward your completed papers to:

HONORABLE MICHAEL ERTEL
Supervisor of Elections
P.O. Box 1479
Sanford, FL 32772-1479

No qualifying papers will be accepted after 12:00 Noon on the 67th day prior to the date of the primary election.

What must I file when I qualify?

Law requires that a candidate file the following:

Loyalty Oath/Oath of Candidate/Statement of Party (Candidates with party affiliation) (Form DS-DE 24)

Loyalty Oath/Oath of Candidate (Write-in Candidates)(Form DS-DE 24A)

Loyalty Oath/Oath of Candidate (Candidates with no party affiliation) (Form DS-DE 24B)

AND

Full and Public Disclosure of Financial Interest 2009 (CE Form 6)

Statement of Financial Interests 2009 (Special district offices only)(CE Form 1)

AND

Qualifying Fee (check drawn on campaign account)

Petition Certification Notice
Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository (Form DS-DE 9) (However, you may have already filed this form with the Supervisor of Elections) and Statement of Candidate within ten (10) days of appointment of campaign treasurer.

If my qualifying papers are filed with an error or omission, will I be considered disqualified?

Pursuant to 99.061(7), Florida Statutes, if the filing officer receives qualifying papers that do not include all items required, the filing officer shall make a reasonable effort to notify the candidate of the missing or incomplete items and shall inform the candidate that all required items must be received by the close of qualifying.

After filing as a candidate, may I later change the way my name is to appear on the ballot?

Pursuant to 99.061(7)(b), Florida Statutes, a candidate's name as it is to appear on the ballot may not be changed after the end of qualifying.

What are the amounts of the qualifying fees for county offices?

Pursuant to 99.092, Florida Statutes, qualifying fees for 2010 Seminole County candidates have are:

County Commissioner $4,821.48
Judicial Candidates $5,371.20
School Board $1,506.72

Partisan candidates pay 6% of the annual salary of the office sought (99.092, Florida Statutes).

The qualifying fee is comprised as follows:

Filing Fee 3%
Party Assessment 2%
Election Assessment 1%

The 1% election assessment is deposited into the Elections Commission Trust Fund.

Nonpartisan candidates pay 4%. Fee breakdown is the same as partisan candidates less the 2% party assessment.

May I get my qualifying fee back if I decide not to run?

Yes, 99.092(1), Florida Statutes, provides for reimbursement of the qualifying fee provided that you withdraw your candidacy before the qualifying period ends.

Is there an alternative method to qualify as a candidate?

Pursuant to 99.095, Florida Statutes, a person seeking to qualify for nomination to any office may qualify to have their name placed on the ballot for the primary by means of the petitioning process.

The Supervisor of Elections will provide you with the proper format (Form DS-DE 104) for you to seek a number of signatures equal to at least one percent (1%) of the total number of Seminole County registered voters. (The registration statistics used in computing the requisite number of signatures are those for the 2008 General Election).
If you are qualifying by the petition process, the number of valid signatures you must secure is 2,593.
The signed petitions for federal, judicial, state attorney and public defender candidates must be submitted to the Supervisor of Elections prior to 12:00 Noon of the 28th day preceding the first day of qualifying, for verification.
The signed petitions for statewide, multi-county, county and district candidates must be submitted to the Supervisor of Elections prior to 12:00 Noon on of the 28th day preceding the first day of qualifying, for verification.
The Supervisor of Elections will notify you, in writing, whether the required number of signatures has been obtained prior to the first day of qualifying.
During the qualifying period you will submit the petition certification notice, along with your qualifying papers, to the Supervisor of Elections.
You will not be required to pay the qualifying fee or party assessment and will be entitled to have your name printed on the ballot.
Additionally, you may file an Undue Burden Oath with the Supervisor of Elections exempting you from paying the ten cents ($.10) per name checked. This oath must be filed with the Supervisor of Elections at the time petitions are submitted for verification.

Note: If the candidate is running for an office which will be grouped on the ballot with two or more similar offices to be filled at the same election and the petition does not indicate the group or district office for which they are running, the signatures obtained on the petition will not be counted.

Must I be registered to vote as an independent in order to have my name placed on the ballot as an independent candidate for a county office?

No, the Florida Statutes provide in Chapter 99.0955(1), that any "registered elector" may have their name placed on the general election ballot as an independent candidate.
You may run as an independent candidate provided that you submit a petition to the Supervisor of Elections with the required number of voters' signatures.

2009 & 2010 Reporting Dates

REPORT YEAR	CODE	DATE DUE	COVERED PERIOD
2009	Q4	January 11, 2010	October 1 - December 31, 2008
2010	Q1	April 12, 2010	January 1 - March 31, 2010
2010	F1	July 23, 2010	April 1 - July 16, 2010
2010	F2	August 6, 2010	July 17 - July 30, 2010
2010	F3	August 20, 2010	July 31 - August 19, 2010
2010	G1	September 17, 2010	August 20 - September 10, 2010
2010	G2	October 1, 2010	September 11 - September 24, 2010
2010	G3	October 15, 2010	September 25 - October 8, 2010
2010	G4	October 29, 2010	October 9 - October 28, 2010
2010	Q4	January 10, 2011	October 29 - December 31, 2010