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BASIC CANDIDATE INFORMATION
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FILING:
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is the
first step in becoming a candidate. (106.021 F.S.) You
must be a registered voter in Hamilton County to run for
local public office. Filing allows you to solicit
contributions and make expenditures for your campaign and
can occur at any time. It involves the completion of an
Appointment of Treasurer Form (DS-DE
9) filed with the Elections office that states:
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[1] |
the
office you are running for (including seat or district #), |
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[2] |
your
political party affiliation (except candidates for Judges, School Board and Supervisor of
Elections.), |
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[3] |
what bank
your campaign account is (or will be) in, and |
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[4] |
who your
treasurer is (it can be yourself).
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After
filing, your campaign must submit quarterly treasurer's
reports until qualifying in July 2008. A candidate has ten
days from the date he or she files to execute a "Statement
of Candidate" (DS-DE
84) (106.023 F.S.). Judicial Candidates must also turn
in a (DS-DE
83), statement of Candidate for Judicial Office.
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PETITIONING:
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is the
Alternative Method for payment of the qualifying fee.
(99.095, 00.0955, 99.096, 99.0965, 99.09651, & 99.097, F.S.)
The petition process begins January 1, 2008 (after
appointing a campaign treasurer)
for all candidates. Our office plans a 48-hour turnaround on
printing petitions for local candidates.
Petitions:
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[1] |
are
provided by Supervisor of Elections Office, |
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[2] |
must be
properly completed and signed by 1% of voters eligible to
sign petition (only single member district restrictions
apply), and |
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[3] |
must be
submitted for verification no later than noon of the 21st
day preceding the first day of qualifying. There is a fee of
10 cents per name for verifying signatures, which must be
paid upon submission of petitions, or the candidate may file
an undue burden oath to waive the cost of verification.
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NOTE:
If the candidate is unable to collect the required number of
valid signatures, he or she may still pay the qualifying
fee.
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QUALIFYING:
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is the
final step that allows a candidate to be on the ballot and
occurs at the Supervisor of Elections Office beginning at
noon, 50 days prior to the date of the first primary and
ends at noon on the 46th day prior to the date of the first
primary (99.012, 99.021, 99.061, 99.062, F.S.). For judicial
candidates qualifying begins at noon of the 120th day and
continues through noon of the 116th day prior to the primary
election (105.031, 105.035, 105.036).
The candidate must fill out:
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[1] |
Financial
Disclosure Form 6 |
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[2] |
Loyalty
Oath, Oath of Candidate and Statement of Party (DS-DE
24 for major and minor party candidates,
DS-DE 24A for write-in candidates,
DS-DE 24B for no party affiliation candidates or
DS-DE 26 or
26A for judicial candidates and judicial write-in
candidates), and |
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[3] |
pay
qualifying fee (6% of annual salary for partisan; 4% of
annual salary for non-partisan Constitutional, County
Commission, City Commission, or School Board candidates; or
$25 for Water Conservation District Supervisor Candidates),
or have petitions certified.
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Candidates who do not complete the qualifying process by
noon of the 46th day (noon of the 116th day for judicial
candidates) prior to the first primary WILL NOT be on the
ballot!
Candidates for Municipal or Hamilton
County Offices
qualify and file campaign reports with:
Hamilton County Supervisor of
Elections
1153 US Hwy 41 NW, Suite 1
Jasper, Florida 32052
(386) 792-1426
Fax (386) 792-3205
NOTE: If 2 or more non-partisan candidates qualify
for the same office they will be on the Primary Election
Ballot. Should no candidate receive 50% plus 1 vote, the top
two candidates would move to the General Election. If only
two candidates are on the Primary ballot, the successful
candidate wins the seat, that is, unless there is a write in
candidate. |
