Guide to Becoming a Candidate

Before Step 1

You may announce your candidacy
You CANNOT open your campaign account
You CANNOT accept any contributions or make any expenditures.

STEP 1:

File Form DS-DE 9 – Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository for Candidates
- As the candidate be sure to sign and date the form.
- If you are appointing a Campaign Treasurer have the appointee to sign and date the form.
- Once completed return the DS-DE 9 to the Supervisor of Elections Office. The office will date and timestamp the document, make a copy and return the original to you.
Form DS-DE 84 – Statement of Candidate is due no later than 10 days after filing the DS-DE 9

STEP 2:

Take the DS-DE 9 to the financial institution you designated to open your campaign account.
Be sure to get a document from the financial institution indicating the name of the account and the date the account was opened.
Furnish the Supervisor of Elections Office a copy of the document received from the financial institution.
Once you have opened your account, you are required to begin submitting financial reports. Please review the Reporting Calendar.

STEP 3:

If you did not file form DS-DE 84 – Statement of Candidate, when you filed form DS-DE 9, be sure to file the Statement of Candidate no later than 10 days after filing the DS-DE 9.

STEP 4:

You now may begin collecting petitions if qualifying by the Petition Method. You can determine the required number of petitions at Qualifying Fees / Petitions.
You must use form DS-DE 104 – Candidate Petition Form for this process.
Submit the collected petitions to the Supervisor of Elections Office for verification. The cost for petition verification is $.10 per petition, payable at the time of submission.
Upon verification, The Supervisor of Elections will notify you of the results.
You may submit petitions in one batch or in batches as you receive them. Make sure to allow sufficient time for petitions to be verified and you to submit more petitions if needed.

STEP 5:

During the week of qualifying the candidate must provide the following to the Supervisor of Elections Office:
- Candidate Oath (Based on office candidate is seeking) You can find the form at County Candidate Forms.
- Form 6 (File / Print from the Florida Commission on Ethics website)
- Pay the Qualifying Fee (If not qualifying by the Petition Method).

Steps 1 – 3 may be completed prior to the qualifying period. If qualifying by the Petition Method, steps 1 – 3 must be completed prior to obtaining petition signatures and meeting the petition certification deadline. Once you have completed steps 1 – 3, you may receive contributions, expend campaign funds, collect petition signatures and begin campaigning.

EMAIL

gulfsoe@votegulf.gov

CALL

850.229.6117

FAX

850.229.8975

OFFICE ADDRESS

401 Long Avenue

Port St Joe, FL 32456

OFFICE HOURS

8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (ET)

7:00 AM – 3:00 PM (CT)

Monday – Friday

QUICK LINKS

Florida Division of Elections

Florida Commission on Ethics