§ 2-2. Qualifying for nonpartisan charter offices.

(a)

Qualifying fees.

(1)

Each person seeking to qualify for nonpartisan charter office, except a person seeking to qualify by the alternative method (petitioning process) set forth in subsection (b) hereof, shall pay a qualifying fee, which shall consist of a filing fee and election assessment, to the county supervisor of elections at the time of filing his or her other qualifying papers.

(2)

The amount of the filing fee shall be three (3) percent of the annual salary of the office. The amount of the filing fee shall be deposited into the general revenue of the county. The amount of the election assessment shall be one (1) percent of the annual salary of the office sought. The election assessment shall be deposited into the elections commission trust fund.

(3)

The annual salary of the office for purposes of computing the filing fee and election assessment shall be computed by multiplying twelve (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 he or she withdraws his or her candidacy before the last date to qualify.

(4)

If a candidate dies prior to an election and has not withdrawn his or her candidacy before the last date to qualify, the candidate's qualifying fee shall be returned to the candidate's designated beneficiary.

(b)

Alternative method of qualifying.

(1)

A person seeking to qualify for nonpartisan charter office may qualify for election to such office by means of the petitioning process prescribed herein. A person qualifying by this alternative method shall not be required to pay a qualifying fee. A person using this petitioning process shall file an oath with the county supervisor of elections stating that he or she intends to qualify for the office sought by this alternative method. Such oath shall be filed at any time after the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January of the year in which the election is held, but prior to the twenty-first day preceding the first day of the qualifying period for the office sought. The form of such oath shall be prescribed by the supervisor of elections. No signatures shall be obtained until the candidate has filed the oath prescribed herein.

(2)

Upon receipt of a written oath from a candidate, the supervisor of elections shall provide the candidate with petition forms in sufficient numbers to facilitate the gathering of signatures pursuant to this section. No signature shall be counted toward the number of signatures required unless it is on a petition form prescribed by the supervisor of elections. The candidate's petition must indicate, prior to the obtaining of registered electors' signatures, the office, including any applicable district number, for which the candidate is running.

(3)

A candidate for nonpartisan charter office shall obtain the signature of a number of qualified electors equal to at least one (1) percent of the total number of registered electors of the geographical entity of the office being sought as shown by the supervisor of elections for the last preceding general election. Each petition shall be submitted prior to noon of the 21st day preceding the first day of the qualifying period for the office sought to the supervisor of elections. The supervisor of elections shall check the signatures on the petition to verify their status as electors within the geographical entity of the office being sought and determine whether the required number of signatures has been obtained for the name of the candidate to be placed on the ballot and shall notify the candidate. If the required number of signatures has been obtained, the candidate shall, during the time prescribed for qualifying for office, submit a copy of such notice and file his or her qualifying papers and oath prescribed in section 99.021 Florida Statutes, with the supervisor of elections.

(Ord. No. 96-18, §§ 1, 2, 7-9-96; Ord. No. 98-11, § 2, 6-2-98; Ord. No. 2004-02, § 2, 4-27-04)