Topics
Code Section
Florida > The Florida Election Code > Candidates

§ 99.092 Qualifying fee of candidate; notification of Department of State.

Overview of Statute

This statute specifies the amount of the qualifying fee, and how and where it must be paid. Immediately after the last day in the qualifying period, supervisors of elections are required to submit to the Department of State a list of the names, party affiliations, and addresses of all candidates, and all offices for which they qualified.

Statute

(1) Each person seeking to qualify for nomination or election to any office, except a person seeking to qualify by the petition process pursuant to s. 99.095 and except a person seeking to qualify as a write-in candidate, shall pay a qualifying fee, which shall consist of a filing fee and election assessment, to the officer with whom the person qualifies, and any party assessment levied, and shall attach the original or signed duplicate of the receipt for his or her party assessment or pay the same, in accordance with the provisions of s. 103.121, at the time of filing his or her other qualifying papers. The amount of the filing fee is 3 percent of the annual salary of the office. The amount of the election assessment is 1 percent of the annual salary of the office sought. The election assessment shall be transferred to the Elections Commission Trust Fund. The amount of the party assessment is 2 percent of the annual salary. The annual salary of the office for purposes of computing the filing fee, election assessment, and party assessment shall be computed by multiplying 12 times the monthly salary, excluding any special qualification pay, authorized for such office as of July 1 immediately preceding the first day of qualifying. No qualifying fee shall be returned to the candidate unless the candidate withdraws his or her candidacy before the last date to qualify. If a candidate dies prior to an election and has not withdrawn his or her candidacy before the last date to qualify, the candidate’s qualifying fee shall be returned to his or her designated beneficiary, and, if the filing fee or any portion thereof has been transferred to the political party of the candidate, the Secretary of State shall direct the party to return that portion to the designated beneficiary of the candidate.

(2) The supervisor of elections shall, immediately after the last day for qualifying, submit to the Department of State a list containing the names, party affiliations, and addresses of all candidates and the offices for which they qualified.

History:

s. 24, ch. 6469, 1913; RGS 328; CGL 385; s. 3, ch. 26870, 1951; s. 12, ch. 29934, 1955; s. 4, ch. 65-378; s. 1, ch. 67-531; ss. 10, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 6, ch. 69-281; s. 1, ch. 74-119; s. 1, ch. 75-123; s. 1, ch. 75-247; s. 6, ch. 77-175; s. 28, ch. 79-400; s. 4, ch. 81-105; s. 1, ch. 83-242; s. 8, ch. 89-338; s. 1, ch. 91-107; s. 537, ch. 95-147; s. 11, ch. 97-13; s. 2, ch. 99-140; s. 10, ch. 99-318; s. 13, ch. 2005-277; s. 2, ch. 2010-16; s. 16, ch. 2011-40.

Definition [Person]

An individual or a corporation, association, firm, partnership, joint venture, joint stock company, club, organization, estate, trust, business trust, syndicate, or other combination of individuals having collective capacity. The term includes a political party, affiliated party committee, or political committee. Fla. Stat. § 106.011(14).

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).

Cases

Florida Cases

Out-of-State Cases

Federal Cases

Regulations & Guidance

Additional Resources

Further Reading

  • Fla. Jur. 2d Elections s 86, Generally