Florida > The Florida Election Code > Presidential Electors; Political Parties; Executive Committees And Members

§ 103.121 Powers and duties of executive committees.

Statute

(1)(a) Each state and county executive committee of a political party shall have the power and duty:

To adopt a constitution by two-thirds vote of the full committee.

To adopt such bylaws as it may deem necessary by majority vote of the full committee.

To conduct its meetings according to generally accepted parliamentary practice.

To make party nomination when required by law.

To conduct campaigns for party nominees.

To raise and expend party funds. Such funds may not be expended or committed to be expended except after written authorization by the chair of the state or county executive committee.

(b) The county executive committee shall receive payment of assessments upon candidates to be voted for in a single county except state senators, state representatives, and representatives to the Congress of the United States; an affiliated party committee controlled by a leader of the Senate as defined in s. 103.092 shall receive payment of assessments upon candidates for the office of state senator, and an affiliated party committee controlled by a leader of the House of Representatives as defined in s. 103.092 shall receive payment of assessments upon candidates for the office of state representative; and the state executive committees shall receive all other assessments authorized. All party assessments shall be 2 percent of the annual salary of the office sought by the respective candidate. All such committee assessments shall be remitted to the state executive committee of the appropriate party and distributed in accordance with subsection (5), except that assessments for candidates for the office of state senator or state representative shall be remitted to the appropriate affiliated party committee.

(2) The chair and treasurer of an executive committee of any political party shall be accountable for the funds of such committee and jointly liable for their proper expenditure for authorized purposes only. The funds of each such state executive committee shall be publicly audited at the end of each calendar year and a copy of such audit furnished to the Department of State for its examination prior to April 1 of the ensuing year. When filed with the Department of State, copies of such audit shall be public documents. The treasurer of each county executive committee shall maintain adequate records evidencing receipt and disbursement of all party funds received by him or her, and such records shall be publicly audited at the end of each calendar year and a copy of such audit filed with the supervisor of elections and the state executive committee prior to April 1 of the ensuing year.

(3) Any chair or treasurer of a state or county executive committee of any political party who knowingly misappropriates, or makes an unlawful expenditure of, or a false or improper accounting for, the funds of such committee is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(4) The central committee or other equivalent governing body of each state executive committee shall adopt a rule which governs the time and manner in which the respective county executive committees of such party may endorse, certify, screen, or otherwise recommend one or more candidates for such party’s nomination for election. Upon adoption, such rule shall provide the exclusive method by which a county committee may so endorse, certify, screen, or otherwise recommend. No later than the date on which qualifying for public office begins pursuant to s. 99.061, the chair of each county executive committee shall notify in writing the supervisor of elections of his or her county whether the county executive committee has endorsed or intends to endorse, certify, screen, or otherwise recommend candidates for nomination pursuant to party rule. A copy of such notification shall be provided to the Secretary of State and to the chair of the appropriate state executive committee.

(5) The state chair of each state executive committee shall return the 2-percent committee assessment for county candidates to the appropriate county executive committees only upon receipt of a written statement that such county executive committee chooses not to endorse, certify, screen, or otherwise recommend one or more candidates for such party’s nomination for election and upon the state chair’s determination that the county executive committee is in compliance with all Florida statutes and all state party rules, bylaws, constitutions, and requirements.

History:

ss. 20, 21, 23, 28, ch. 6469, 1913; RGS 324, 325, 327, 332; CGL 381, 382, 384, 389; s. 1, ch. 25389, 1949; s. 9, ch. 26329, 1949; s. 7, ch. 26870, 1951; s. 41, ch. 28156, 1953; s. 2, ch. 29935, 1955; s. 1, ch. 57-743; s. 1, ch. 61-157; s. 1, ch. 63-97; ss. 6, 7, 8, ch. 67-353; ss. 10, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 26, ch. 77-104; s. 32, ch. 77-175; s. 50, ch. 79-400; s. 1, ch. 82-160; s. 25, ch. 83-217; s. 2, ch. 83-242; s. 1, ch. 89-256; s. 609, ch. 95-147; s. 64, ch. 2005-277; ss. 3, 30, ch. 2011-6.

1. Definition for Department

Definition [Department]

The Department of State. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(7).

2. Definition for Supervisor

Definition [Supervisor]

The supervisor of elections. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(36).

3. Definition for Expenditure

Definition [Expenditure]

(a) A purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, transfer of funds by a campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer between a primary depository and a separate interest-bearing account or certificate of deposit, or gift of money or anything of value made for the purpose of influencing the results of an election or making an electioneering communication. However, “expenditure” does not include a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, or gift of money or anything of value made for the purpose of influencing the results of an election when made by an organization, in existence before the time during which a candidate qualifies or an issue is placed on the ballot for that election, for the purpose of printing or distributing such organization’s newsletter, containing a statement by such organization in support of or opposition to a candidate or issue, which newsletter is distributed only to members of such organization.

(b) As used in chapter 106, an “expenditure” for an electioneering communication is made when the earliest of the following occurs:

1. A person enters into a contract for applicable goods or services;

2. A person makes payment, in whole or in part, for the production or public dissemination of applicable goods or services; or

3. The electioneering communication is publicly disseminated. Fla. Stat. § 106.011(10).

4. Definition for Public Office

Definition [Public Office]

Any federal, state, county, municipal, school, or other district office or position which is filled by vote of the electors. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(32).

5. Definition for Public Office

Definition [Public Office]

A state, county, municipal, or school or other district office or position that is filled by vote of the electors. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(32).

6. Definition for Governing Body

Definition [Governing Body]

As used in ss. 101.292-101.295, “governing body” means the board of county commissioners of a county or any other governing body empowered by general or special act or local ordinance to purchase or sell voting equipment. Fla. Stat. § 101.292(1).

7. Definition for Election

Definition [Election]

Any primary election, special primary election, special election, general election, or presidential preference primary election. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(12).

8. Definition for Candidate

Definition [Candidate]

Any person to whom any one or more of the following applies:

(a) Any person who seeks to qualify for nomination or election by means of the petitioning process.

(b) Any person who seeks to qualify for election as a write-in candidate.

(c) 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.

(d) Any person who appoints a treasurer and designates a primary depository.

(e) Any person who files qualification papers and subscribes to a candidate’s oath as required by law.

This definition does not include any candidate for a political party executive committee. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(6).