Bill Text: FL S0366 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Nonpartisan Elections for State Attorneys and Public Defenders

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-04-13 - Withdrawn from further consideration [S0366 Detail]

Download: Florida-2017-S0366-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2017                                     SB 366
       
       
        
       By Senator Gibson
       
       6-00529-17                                             2017366__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to nonpartisan elections for state
    3         attorneys and public defenders; amending s. 99.061,
    4         F.S.; revising provisions governing candidate
    5         qualifying to conform with the redesignation of the
    6         offices of state attorney and public defender as
    7         nonpartisan offices; amending s. 100.111, F.S.;
    8         removing the requirement that a state political party
    9         chair provide certain notification in the event of a
   10         vacancy in nomination for the office of state attorney
   11         or public defender, to conform; amending s. 101.151,
   12         F.S.; revising specifications for ballot layout to
   13         conform with the redesignation of the offices of state
   14         attorney and public defender as nonpartisan offices;
   15         amending s. 105.031, F.S.; revising provisions
   16         governing candidate qualifying for nonpartisan offices
   17         to include candidates for the offices of state
   18         attorney and public defender; amending s. 105.035,
   19         F.S.; adding candidates for the offices of state
   20         attorney and public defender to the list of candidates
   21         who may qualify for election by a specified petition
   22         process, in lieu of a qualifying fee; amending s.
   23         105.041, F.S.; requiring that the listing of
   24         candidates on a ballot for the offices of state
   25         attorney and public defender identify the applicable
   26         judicial circuit; requiring that space be made
   27         available on the general election ballot if a write-in
   28         candidate has qualified to run for the office of state
   29         attorney or public defender; amending s. 105.051,
   30         F.S.; prohibiting the name of an unopposed candidate
   31         for the office of state attorney or public defender
   32         from appearing on any ballot; amending s. 105.061,
   33         F.S.; specifying that a qualified elector of a
   34         judicial circuit is eligible to vote for a candidate
   35         for the office of state attorney or public defender of
   36         that circuit; amending s. 105.08, F.S.; specifying
   37         applicability of campaign financing and reporting
   38         requirements to candidates for the office of state
   39         attorney or public defender; amending s. 105.09, F.S.;
   40         prohibiting a political party or partisan political
   41         organization from endorsing, supporting, or assisting
   42         any candidate in a campaign for election to the office
   43         of state attorney or public defender; providing a
   44         penalty; providing an effective date.
   45          
   46  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   47  
   48         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 99.061, Florida
   49  Statutes, is amended to read:
   50         99.061 Method of qualifying for nomination or election to
   51  federal, state, county, or district office.—
   52         (1) The provisions of any special act to the contrary
   53  notwithstanding, each person seeking to qualify for nomination
   54  or election to a federal, state, or multicounty district office,
   55  other than election to a judicial office as defined in chapter
   56  105, the office of state attorney or public defender, or the
   57  office of school board member, shall file his or her
   58  qualification papers with, and pay the qualifying fee, which
   59  shall consist of the filing fee and election assessment, and
   60  party assessment, if any has been levied, to, the department of
   61  State, or qualify by the petition process pursuant to s. 99.095
   62  with the department of State, at any time after noon of the 1st
   63  day for qualifying, which shall be as follows: the 120th day
   64  before prior to the primary election, but not later than noon of
   65  the 116th day before prior to the date of the primary election,
   66  for persons seeking to qualify for nomination or election to
   67  federal office or to the office of the state attorney or the
   68  public defender; and noon of the 71st day before prior to the
   69  primary election, but not later than noon of the 67th day before
   70  prior to the date of the primary election, for persons seeking
   71  to qualify for nomination or election to a state or multicounty
   72  district office, other than the office of the state attorney or
   73  the public defender.
   74         Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
   75  100.111, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   76         100.111 Filling vacancy.—
   77         (3)(a) In the event that death, resignation, withdrawal, or
   78  removal should cause a party to have a vacancy in nomination
   79  which leaves no candidate for an office from such party, the
   80  filing officer before whom the candidate qualified shall notify
   81  the chair of the state and county political party executive
   82  committee of such party and:
   83         1. If the vacancy in nomination is for a statewide office,
   84  the state party chair shall, within 5 days, call a meeting of
   85  his or her executive board to consider designation of a nominee
   86  to fill the vacancy.
   87         2. If the vacancy in nomination is for the office of United
   88  States Representative, state senator, or state representative,
   89  state attorney, or public defender, the state party chair shall
   90  notify the appropriate county chair or chairs and, within 5
   91  days, the appropriate county chair or chairs shall call a
   92  meeting of the members of the executive committee in the
   93  affected county or counties to consider designation of a nominee
   94  to fill the vacancy.
   95         3. If the vacancy in nomination is for a county office, the
   96  state party chair shall notify the appropriate county chair and,
   97  within 5 days, the appropriate county chair shall call a meeting
   98  of his or her executive committee to consider designation of a
   99  nominee to fill the vacancy.
  100  
  101  The name of any person so designated shall be submitted to the
  102  filing officer before whom the candidate qualified within 7 days
  103  after notice to the chair in order that the person designated
  104  may have his or her name on the ballot of the ensuing general
  105  election. If the name of the new nominee is submitted after the
  106  certification of results of the preceding primary election,
  107  however, the ballots may shall not be changed and the former
  108  party nominee’s name will appear on the ballot. Any ballots cast
  109  for the former party nominee will be counted for the person
  110  designated by the political party to replace the former party
  111  nominee. If there is no opposition to the party nominee, the
  112  person designated by the political party to replace the former
  113  party nominee will be elected to office at the general election.
  114         Section 3. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
  115  101.151, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  116         101.151 Specifications for ballots.—
  117         (2)(a) The ballot must include the following office titles
  118  above the names of the candidates for the respective offices in
  119  the following order:
  120         1. The office titles of President and Vice President above
  121  the names of the candidates for President and Vice President of
  122  the United States nominated by the political party that received
  123  the highest vote for Governor in the last general election of
  124  the Governor in this state, followed by the names of other
  125  candidates for President and Vice President of the United States
  126  who have been properly nominated.
  127         2. The office titles of United States Senator and
  128  Representative in Congress.
  129         3. The office titles of Governor and Lieutenant Governor;
  130  Attorney General; Chief Financial Officer; and Commissioner of
  131  Agriculture; State Attorney, with the applicable judicial
  132  circuit; and Public Defender, with the applicable judicial
  133  circuit.
  134         4. The office titles of State Senator and State
  135  Representative, with the applicable district for the office
  136  printed beneath.
  137         5. The office titles of Clerk of the Circuit Court or, when
  138  the Clerk of the Circuit Court also serves as the County
  139  Comptroller, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, when
  140  authorized by law; Clerk of the County Court, when authorized by
  141  law; Sheriff; Property Appraiser; Tax Collector; District
  142  Superintendent of Schools; and Supervisor of Elections.
  143         6. The office titles of Board of County Commissioners, with
  144  the applicable district printed beneath each office, and such
  145  other county and district offices as are involved in the
  146  election, in the order fixed by the Department of State,
  147  followed, in the year of their election, by “Party Offices,” and
  148  thereunder the offices of state and county party executive
  149  committee members.
  150         Section 4. Section 105.031, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  151  read:
  152         105.031 Qualification; filing fee; candidate’s oath; items
  153  required to be filed.—
  154         (1) TIME OF QUALIFYING.—Except for candidates for judicial
  155  office and for the office of state attorney or public defender,
  156  nonpartisan candidates for multicounty office shall qualify with
  157  the division of Elections of the Department of State and
  158  nonpartisan candidates for countywide or less than countywide
  159  office shall qualify with the supervisor of elections.
  160  Candidates for judicial office, other than the office of county
  161  court judge, and candidates for the office of state attorney or
  162  public defender shall qualify with the division of Elections of
  163  the Department of State, and candidates for the office of county
  164  court judge shall qualify with the supervisor of elections of
  165  the county. Candidates for judicial office and for the office of
  166  state attorney or public defender shall qualify no earlier than
  167  noon of the 120th day, and no later than noon of the 116th day,
  168  before the primary election. Candidates for the office of school
  169  board member shall qualify no earlier than noon of the 71st day,
  170  and no later than noon of the 67th day, before the primary
  171  election. Filing shall be on forms provided for that purpose by
  172  the division of Elections and furnished by the appropriate
  173  qualifying officer. Any person other than a write-in candidate
  174  who qualifies within the time prescribed in this subsection is
  175  shall be entitled to have his or her name printed on the ballot.
  176         (2) FILING IN GROUPS OR DISTRICTS.—Candidates shall qualify
  177  in groups or districts where multiple offices are to be filled.
  178         (3) QUALIFYING FEE.—Each candidate qualifying for election
  179  to a judicial office, the office of state attorney or public
  180  defender, or the office of school board member, except write-in
  181  judicial or school board candidates for such offices, shall,
  182  during the time for qualifying, pay to the officer with whom he
  183  or she qualifies a qualifying fee, which shall consist of a
  184  filing fee and an election assessment, or qualify by the
  185  petition process. The amount of the filing fee is 3 percent of
  186  the annual salary of the office sought. The amount of the
  187  election assessment is 1 percent of the annual salary of the
  188  office sought. The department of State shall transfer all filing
  189  fees to the Department of Legal Affairs for deposit in the
  190  Elections Commission Trust Fund. The supervisor of elections
  191  shall forward all filing fees to the Elections Commission Trust
  192  Fund. The election assessment shall be deposited into the
  193  Elections Commission Trust Fund. The annual salary of the office
  194  for purposes of computing the qualifying fee shall be computed
  195  by multiplying 12 times the monthly salary authorized for such
  196  office as of July 1 immediately preceding the first day of
  197  qualifying. This subsection does not apply to candidates
  198  qualifying for retention to judicial office.
  199         (4) CANDIDATE’S OATH.—
  200         (a) All candidates for the office of state attorney, public
  201  defender, or school board member shall subscribe to the oath as
  202  prescribed in s. 99.021.
  203         (b) All candidates for judicial office shall subscribe to
  204  an oath or affirmation in writing to be filed with the
  205  appropriate qualifying officer upon qualifying. A printed copy
  206  of the oath or affirmation shall be furnished to the candidate
  207  by the qualifying officer and shall be in substantially the
  208  following form:
  209  
  210  State of Florida
  211  County of ....
  212         Before me, an officer authorized to administer oaths,
  213  personally appeared ...(please print name as you wish it to
  214  appear on the ballot)..., to me well known, who, being sworn,
  215  says he or she: is a candidate for the judicial office of ....;
  216  that his or her legal residence is .... County, Florida; that he
  217  or she is a qualified elector of the state and of the
  218  territorial jurisdiction of the court to which he or she seeks
  219  election; that he or she is qualified under the constitution and
  220  laws of Florida to hold the judicial office to which he or she
  221  desires to be elected or in which he or she desires to be
  222  retained; that he or she has qualified for no other public
  223  office in the state, the term of which office or any part
  224  thereof runs concurrent to the office he or she seeks; that he
  225  or she has resigned from any office which he or she is required
  226  to resign pursuant to s. 99.012, Florida Statutes; and that he
  227  or she will support the Constitution of the United States and
  228  the Constitution of the State of Florida.
  229  
  230  	...(Signature of candidate)...
  231  	...(Address)...
  232  
  233  Sworn to and subscribed before me this .... day of ....,
  234  ...(year)..., at .... County, Florida.
  235  
  236  ...(Signature and title of officer administering oath)...
  237  
  238         (5) ITEMS REQUIRED TO BE FILED.—
  239         (a) In order for a candidate for judicial office or the
  240  office of state attorney, public defender, or school board
  241  member to be qualified, the following items must be received by
  242  the filing officer by the end of the qualifying period:
  243         1. Except for candidates for retention to judicial office,
  244  a properly executed check drawn upon the candidate’s campaign
  245  account in an amount not less than the fee required by
  246  subsection (3) or, in lieu thereof, the copy of the notice of
  247  obtaining ballot position pursuant to s. 105.035. If a
  248  candidate’s check is returned by the bank for any reason, the
  249  filing officer shall immediately notify the candidate and the
  250  candidate shall, the end of qualifying notwithstanding, have 48
  251  hours from the time such notification is received, excluding
  252  Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, to pay the fee with a
  253  cashier’s check purchased from funds of the campaign account.
  254  Failure to pay the fee as provided in this subparagraph shall
  255  disqualify the candidate.
  256         2. The candidate’s oath required by subsection (4), which
  257  must contain the name of the candidate as it is to appear on the
  258  ballot; the office sought, including the district or group
  259  number if applicable; and the signature of the candidate, duly
  260  acknowledged.
  261         3. The loyalty oath required by s. 876.05, signed by the
  262  candidate and duly acknowledged.
  263         4. The completed form for the appointment of campaign
  264  treasurer and designation of campaign depository, as required by
  265  s. 106.021. In addition, each candidate for judicial office,
  266  including an incumbent judge, shall file a statement with the
  267  qualifying officer, within 10 days after filing the appointment
  268  of campaign treasurer and designation of campaign depository,
  269  stating that the candidate has read and understands the
  270  requirements of the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct. Such
  271  statement shall be in substantially the following form:
  272  
  273             Statement of Candidate for Judicial Office            
  274  
  275  I, ...(name of candidate)..., a judicial candidate, have
  276  received, read, and understand the requirements of the Florida
  277  Code of Judicial Conduct.
  278  ...(Signature of candidate)...
  279  ...(Date)...
  280  
  281         5. The full and public disclosure of financial interests
  282  required by s. 8, Art. II of the State Constitution or the
  283  statement of financial interests required by s. 112.3145,
  284  whichever is applicable. A public officer who has filed the full
  285  and public disclosure or statement of financial interests with
  286  the Commission on Ethics or the supervisor of elections prior to
  287  qualifying for office may file a copy of that disclosure at the
  288  time of qualifying.
  289         (b) If the filing officer receives qualifying papers that
  290  do not include all items as required by paragraph (a) prior to
  291  the last day of qualifying, the filing officer shall make a
  292  reasonable effort to notify the candidate of the missing or
  293  incomplete items and shall inform the candidate that all
  294  required items must be received by the close of qualifying. A
  295  candidate’s name as it is to appear on the ballot may not be
  296  changed after the end of qualifying.
  297         (6) Notwithstanding the qualifying period prescribed in
  298  this section, a filing officer may accept and hold qualifying
  299  papers submitted not earlier than 14 days prior to the beginning
  300  of the qualifying period, to be processed and filed during the
  301  qualifying period.
  302         Section 5. Section 105.035, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  303  read:
  304         105.035 Petition process of qualifying for certain judicial
  305  offices and the offices of state attorney, public defender, and
  306  the office of school board member.—
  307         (1) A person seeking to qualify for election to the office
  308  of circuit judge or county court judge or the office of state
  309  attorney, public defender, or school board member may qualify
  310  for election to such office by means of the petitioning process
  311  prescribed in this section. A person qualifying by this petition
  312  process is not required to pay the qualifying fee required by
  313  this chapter.
  314         (2) The petition format shall be prescribed by the division
  315  of Elections and shall be used by the candidate to reproduce
  316  petitions for circulation. If the candidate is running for an
  317  office that will be grouped on the ballot with two or more
  318  similar offices to be filled at the same election, the
  319  candidate’s petition must indicate, prior to the obtaining of
  320  registered electors’ signatures, for which group or district
  321  office the candidate is running.
  322         (3) Each candidate for election to a judicial office or the
  323  office of state attorney, public defender, or school board
  324  member shall obtain the signature of a number of qualified
  325  electors equal to at least 1 percent of the total number of
  326  registered electors of the district, circuit, county, or other
  327  geographic entity represented by the office sought as shown by
  328  the compilation by the department of State for the last
  329  preceding general election. A separate petition shall be
  330  circulated for each candidate availing himself or herself of the
  331  provisions of this section. Signatures may not be obtained until
  332  the candidate has filed the appointment of campaign treasurer
  333  and designation of campaign depository pursuant to s. 106.021.
  334         (4)(a) Each candidate seeking to qualify for election to
  335  the office of circuit judge, the office of state attorney or
  336  public defender, or the office of school board member from a
  337  multicounty school district pursuant to this section shall file
  338  a separate petition from each county from which signatures are
  339  sought. Each petition shall be submitted, before prior to noon
  340  of the 28th day preceding the first day of the qualifying period
  341  for the office sought, to the supervisor of elections of the
  342  county for which such petition was circulated. Each supervisor
  343  of elections to whom a petition is submitted shall check the
  344  signatures on the petition to verify their status as electors of
  345  that county and of the geographic area represented by the office
  346  sought. No later than the 7th day before the first date for
  347  qualifying, the supervisor shall certify the number shown as
  348  registered electors and submit such certification to the
  349  division of Elections. The division shall determine whether the
  350  required number of signatures has been obtained for the name of
  351  the candidate to be placed on the ballot and shall notify the
  352  candidate. If the required number of signatures has been
  353  obtained, the candidate shall, during the time prescribed for
  354  qualifying for office, submit a copy of such notice and file his
  355  or her qualifying papers and oath prescribed in s. 105.031 with
  356  the division of Elections. Upon receipt of the copy of such
  357  notice and qualifying papers, the division shall certify the
  358  name of the candidate to the appropriate supervisor or
  359  supervisors of elections as having qualified for the office
  360  sought.
  361         (b) Each candidate seeking to qualify for election to the
  362  office of county court judge or the office of school board
  363  member from a single county school district pursuant to this
  364  section shall submit his or her petition, before prior to noon
  365  of the 28th day preceding the first day of the qualifying period
  366  for the office sought, to the supervisor of elections of the
  367  county for which such petition was circulated. The supervisor
  368  shall check the signatures on the petition to verify their
  369  status as electors of the county and of the geographic area
  370  represented by the office sought. No later than the 7th day
  371  before the first date for qualifying, the supervisor shall
  372  determine whether the required number of signatures has been
  373  obtained for the name of the candidate to be placed on the
  374  ballot and shall notify the candidate. If the required number of
  375  signatures has been obtained, the candidate shall, during the
  376  time prescribed for qualifying for office, submit a copy of such
  377  notice and file his or her qualifying papers and oath prescribed
  378  in s. 105.031 with the qualifying officer. Upon receipt of the
  379  copy of such notice and qualifying papers, such candidate shall
  380  be entitled to have his or her name printed on the ballot.
  381         Section 6. Subsections (2) and (4) of section 105.041,
  382  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  383         105.041 Form of ballot.—
  384         (2) LISTING OF CANDIDATES.—The order of nonpartisan offices
  385  appearing on the ballot shall be determined by the department of
  386  State. The names of candidates for election to each nonpartisan
  387  office shall be listed in alphabetical order. With respect to
  388  the office titles placed above the names of candidates for the
  389  offices of state attorney and public defender, the applicable
  390  judicial circuit must be identified. With respect to retention
  391  of justices and judges, the question “Shall Justice (or Judge)
  392  (name of justice or judge) of the (name of the court) be
  393  retained in office?” shall appear on the ballot in alphabetical
  394  order and thereafter the words “Yes” and “No.”
  395         (4) WRITE-IN CANDIDATES.—Space shall be made available on
  396  the general election ballot for an elector to write in the name
  397  of a write-in candidate for judge of a circuit court or county
  398  court, the office of state attorney or public defender, or
  399  member of a school board if a candidate has qualified as a
  400  write-in candidate for such office pursuant to s. 105.031. This
  401  subsection does shall not apply to the offices of justices and
  402  judges seeking retention.
  403         Section 7. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
  404  105.051, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  405         105.051 Determination of election or retention to office.—
  406         (1) ELECTION.—In circuits and counties holding elections:
  407         (a) The name of an unopposed candidate for the office of
  408  circuit judge, county court judge, state attorney, public
  409  defender, or member of a school board may shall not appear on
  410  any ballot, and such candidate shall be deemed to have voted for
  411  himself or herself at the general election.
  412         Section 8. Present subsection (2) of section 105.061,
  413  Florida Statutes, is renumbered as subsection (3), and a new
  414  subsection (2) is added to that section, to read:
  415         105.061 Electors qualified to vote.—
  416         (2) Each qualified elector of a judicial circuit is
  417  eligible to vote for a candidate for the offices of state
  418  attorney and public defender of such circuit.
  419         Section 9. Subsection (1) of section 105.08, Florida
  420  Statutes, is amended to read:
  421         105.08 Campaign contribution and expense; reporting.—
  422         (1) A candidate for judicial office, state attorney, public
  423  defender, or the office of school board member may accept
  424  contributions and may incur only such expenses as are authorized
  425  by law. Each such candidate shall keep an accurate record of his
  426  or her contributions and expenses, and shall file reports
  427  pursuant to chapter 106.
  428         Section 10. Section 105.09, Florida Statutes, is amended to
  429  read:
  430         105.09 Political activity on in behalf of a candidate for
  431  judicial office or the office of state attorney or public
  432  defender limited.—
  433         (1) A No political party or partisan political organization
  434  may not shall endorse, support, or assist any candidate in a
  435  campaign for election to judicial office or the office of state
  436  attorney or public defender.
  437         (2) Any person who knowingly, in an individual capacity or
  438  as an officer of an organization, violates the provisions of
  439  this section commits is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second
  440  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
  441         Section 11. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.

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