State law sets out the procedures for running for office at the municipal, county or state level.  If you want to run for a municipal office or a county-wide office, the County Supervisor of Elections will guide you.  For state-wide and multi-county districts, you would qualify with the Division of Elections in Tallahassee.

2010 Qualifying Dates to remember:

 

March 29	Noon, petitions for federal, judicial, state attorney and public defender candidates seeking to qualify by petition method due to supervisor of elections (FS 99.095 and 105.035)
April 26	Noon, qualifying begins for all federal, judicial, state attorney and public defender candidates (FS 99.061 and 105.031)
April 30	Noon, qualifying ends for all federal, judicial, state attorney and public defender candidates (FS 99.061 and 105.031)
May 17	Noon, petitions for statewide, multi-count, county and district candidates seeking to qualify by petition method due to supervisor of elections (FS 99.095)
June 14	Noon, qualifying begins for all statewide, multi-county, county and district candidates seeking to qualify by paying the 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) (FS 99.061)
June 18	Noon, qualifying ends for all statewide, multi-county, county and district candidates seeking to qualify by paying the qualifying fee (FS 99.061)

 

BASIC CANDIDATE INFORMATION
FILING:
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:
[1]	the office you are running for (including seat or district #),
[2]	your political party affiliation (except candidates for Judges, School Board and Supervisor of Elections.),
[3]	what bank your campaign account is (or will be) in, and
[4]	who your treasurer is (it can be yourself).
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.
PETITIONING:
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, 2010 (after appointing a campaign treasurer) for all candidates. Our office plans a 48-hour turnaround on printing petitions for local candidates. Petitions:
[1]	are provided by Supervisor of Elections Office,
[2]	must be properly completed and signed by 1% of voters eligible to sign petition (only single member district restrictions apply), and
[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.
NOTE: If the candidate is unable to collect the required number of valid signatures, he or she may still pay the qualifying fee.
QUALIFYING:
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:
[1]	Financial Disclosure Form 6
[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
[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.
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.