Information for Potential Candidates *

•  County offices to be filled by election in 2008
•  So you want to be a candidate?
•  Petition Process
•  Official Qualifying
•  Qualifying Fees
•  Candidates Report Schedule

So you want to be a candidate?

A potential candidate should first check with the Supervisor of Elections to verify which district/seats are up for re-election.

Some offices have residency requirements . . . 

County Commission candidates must reside in the district for which they are qualifying at the time of being elected to office. F.S. 100.041(2)(a) provides that a county commissioner is deemed elected on the date that the county canvassing board certifies the results of an election. (Effective 1/1/2008)

School Board candidates must reside in the district for which they are qualifying at the time of qualifying.

Before qualifying for office, obtaining petitions, accepting contributions or making expenditures, a potential candidate must designate a depository (bank) and appoint a treasurer (F.S. 106.021)). To do this, complete form DS-DE 9. You can get this form at your Supervisor of Elections office or on this web site – see Candidate Forms.

After the treasurer has been appointed and the depository (bank) has been designated, you are considered a "Pre-Qualified Candidate." Now you may begin accepting contributions and making expenditures and you must now begin filing periodic reports.

Petition Process

A candidate may qualify by means of the petitioning process (F.S. 99.095). This is an alternative to paying the qualifying fee. 

Once the DS-DE 9 is filed with the Supervisor of Elections office, (Pre-Qualified) candidates may begin collecting petitions.

The number of valid signatures required is equal to one percent (1%) of the total number of Hernando County registered voters as of the last general election. The required number of valid signatures for a candidates seeking county office in 2008 is 1,198.


The required amount of valid signatures must be submitted to the Supervisor of Elections office for verification before Noon, May 19, 2008

Prior to the first day of Official Qualifying, the Supervisor of Elections will notify you, in writing, whether the required number of valid signatures has been obtained (Petition Certification Form).

There is a ten cents (10¢) per name checked fee that must be paid  prior to qualifying. If you find that paying this fee is a burden on your campaign, you may file an Undue Burden Oath with the Supervisor of Elections office exempting you from paying the fee. This Oath must be filed at the time petitions are submitted for verification.

Official Qualifying

Qualifying Fees

A Candidate may qualify for office by paying a qualifying fee. For Partisan candidates, the fee is 6% of one year’s salary of the office sought. For Non-Partisan candidates, the fee is 4% of one year’s salary of the office sought.

Contact the Supervisor of Elections office for a list of qualifying fees for county offices. Fee Breakdown:

Partisan Candidates:	Non-Partisan Candidates:
3% Filing Fee	3% Filing Fee
2% Party Assessment	1% Election Assessment*
1% Election Assessment*
(*Note: This Assessment goes to the Florida Elections Commission)