Candidate filing and qualifying information
Last Updated 03/12/08

Who can run for office
When to announce candidacy
Qualifying (when/what to file)
Additional requirements

2008 Volusia County Candidates

For any candidacy or election information pertaining to municipal elections, please contact your local city clerk.

Becoming a candidate

What is a Candidate?

A candidate is defined in 97.021(4), Florida Statutes, as any person to whom any one or more of the following applies:

• Any person who seeks to qualify for nomination or election by means of a petitioning process.
• Any person who seeks to qualify for election as a write-in candidate.
• 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.
• Any person who appoints a treasurer and designates a primary depository .
• Any person who files qualification papers and subscribes to a candidate’s oath as required by law.

However, this definition does not include any candidate for a political party executive committee.

Who can be a Candidate?

• You must be a registered voter in Volusia County to run for local public office.
• A candidate for County Council shall be a qualified elector of the county, and shall have been a resident of the county for two years immediately preceding the date on which they qualify to run for office. District candidates shall  have resided within the district from which they are elected for at least six months prior to the date on which they qualify to run for office. (County Charter, Sec. 302).
• School board candidates must reside in the district for which they are qualifying at the time of qualifying. For specific requirements of qualifying as a candidate for school board, please contact the Volusia County School Board.
• If required by the “resign to run law” to resign from one’s current position or office, the irrevocable letter of intent to resign must be filed by April 18, 2008 for judicial candidates or June 6, 2008 for all other candidates. (99.012 (3), Florida Statutes)

When do I announce my candidacy?

• Candidacy may be announced at any time;
• You MUST file an Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository (Form DS-DE 9) with the Supervisor of Elections Office  before any contributions are accepted, before opening a campaign account, and before expenditures are made (106.021, Florida Statutes);
• You MUST file a Statement of Candidate (Form DS-DE 84) within ten (10) days of filing the Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository (106.023, Florida Statutes)
• Candidates for County Judge must file a Statement of Candidate for Judicial Office (Form DS-DE 83)

Candidate Qualifying

When and where do I file my qualifying papers?

Qualifying is the final step that allows a candidate to have his or her name on the ballot. For federal, state, or multi county offices, you must file your qualifying papers with the Department of State. For county and special district offices, you must file your  qualifying papers in the office of the Supervisor of Elections during the assigned dates:

NOON, April 28, 2008 - NOON May 2, 2008 for federal, judicial, state attorney and public defender candidates

NOON June 16, 2008 – NOON June 20, 2008 for all statewide, multi-county, county and district candidates.

Qualifying papers will be accepted at the Volusia County Department of Elections Office during normal business hours, at any time during the qualifying period. The office is located at 125 West New York Avenue DeLand, Florida 32720.

What must I file when I qualify?

Law requires that a candidate must file the following:

1. Full and Public Disclosure of Financial Interest (CE Form 6) 2006. (Form 1 Statement of Financial Interests for Special District Officials)
2. Loyalty Oath, Oath of Candidate and Statement of Party (DS-DE 24 for major and minor party candidates) OR Loyalty Oath and Oath of Candidate (Form DS-DE 24B for no party affiliation).
3. The candidate must pay the qualifying fee (6% of annual salary for partisan candidates, 4% of annual salary for non-partisan candidates). Qualifying fee is $25.00 for Special District candidates. Effective 1/1/2008  filing fee for a special district candidate is not required to be drawn on campaign account.

OR
Petition Certification Form, if qualifying by petition.

4. Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository (Form DS-DE 9) and Statement of Candidate (Form DS-DE 84), unless you have already filed these forms with the Supervisor of Elections.

If my qualifying papers are filed with an error or omission, will I be considered disqualified?

Pursuant to 99.061(7), Florida Statutes, if the filing officer receives qualifying papers that do not include all items required, the filing officer shall make a reasonable effort to notify the candidate of the missing or incomplete items and shall inform the candidate that all required items must be received by the close of qualifying. (NOON, May 2, 2008 for judicial candidates or NOON, June 20, 2008 for other candidates)

After filing as a candidate may I later change the way my name is to appear on the ballot?

Pursuant to 99.061(7)(b), Florida Statutes, a candidate’s name as it is to appear on the ballot may not be changed after the end of qualifying.

What are the amounts of the qualifying fees for county offices?

Pursuant to 99.092, Florida Statutes, qualifying fees for 2008 Volusia County candidates are *estimated to be: