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§ 99.063 Candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

Overview of Statute

This statute governs the process for each gubernatorial candidate’s lieutenant governor running mate selection. The candidates have until the 9th day after the primary to choose a running mate. The designated Lieutenant Governor candidates must file with the Department of State the oath, the written statement of political party affiliation, and the public disclosure of financial interests. Note that candidates for Lieutenant Governor do not have to pay a separate qualifying fee or obtain petition signatures. For Lieutenant Governor candidates to be listed on the primary ballot, the gubernatorial candidate must choose his/her running mate, and the running mate must qualify no later than the end of the qualifying period. If there is no candidate for Lieutenant Governor before the primary, the ballot must state “Not Yet Designated.” If Lieutenant Governors do not qualify before the 9th day after the primary, the gubernatorial candidate loses his/her ballot position for the general election.

Statute

(1) No later than 5 p.m. of the 9th day following the primary election, each candidate for Governor shall designate a Lieutenant Governor as a running mate. Such designation must be made in writing to the Department of State.

(2) No later than 5 p.m. of the 9th day following the primary election, each designated candidate for Lieutenant Governor shall file with the Department of State:

(a) The candidate’s oath required by s. 99.021, which must contain the name of the candidate as it is to appear on the ballot; the office sought; and the signature of the candidate, which must be verified under oath or affirmation pursuant to s. 92.525(1)(a).

(b) If the office sought is partisan, the written statement of political party affiliation required by s. 99.021(1)(b).

(c) The full and public disclosure of financial interests pursuant to s. 8, Art. II of the State Constitution. A public officer who has filed the full and public disclosure with the Commission on Ethics prior to qualifying for office may file a copy of that disclosure at the time of qualifying.

(3) A designated candidate for Lieutenant Governor is not required to pay a separate qualifying fee or obtain signatures on petitions. Ballot position obtained by the candidate for Governor entitles the designated candidate for Lieutenant Governor, upon receipt by the Department of State of the qualifying papers required by subsection (2), to have his or her name placed on the ballot for the joint candidacy.

(4) In order to have the name of the candidate for Lieutenant Governor printed on the primary election ballot, a candidate for Governor participating in the primary must designate the candidate for Lieutenant Governor, and the designated candidate must qualify no later than the end of the qualifying period specified in s. 99.061.

(5) Failure of the Lieutenant Governor candidate to be designated and qualified by the time specified in subsection (2) shall result in forfeiture of ballot position for the candidate for Governor for the general election.

History:

s. 1, ch. 99-140; s. 45, ch. 2001-40; s. 12, ch. 2005-277; s. 8, ch. 2005-286; s. 15, ch. 2011-40; s. 5, ch. 2019-162.

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).

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).

Definition [General Election]

An election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in the even-numbered years, for the purpose of filling national, state, county, and district offices and for voting on constitutional amendments not otherwise provided for by law. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(16).

Definition [Primary Election]

An election held preceding the general election for the purpose of nominating a party nominee to be voted for in the general election to fill a national, state, county, or district office. Fla. Stat. § 97.021(29).

Definition [Ballot]

As used in the Electronic Voting Systems Act, ballot means the card, tape, or other vehicle upon which the elector’s choices are recorded. Fla. Stat. § 101.5603(2).

Definition [Election]

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

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).

Additional Resources

Further Reading

  • Fla. Jur. 2d Elections s 89, Generally