Candidate and Elected Official Information
This page contains information on local candidates and elected officials, as well as information on how to file and run for office.
Elected Officials and Local Candidates Filed to Run for Office
Filing and Qualifying Information
Read the How to Run for Local Office webpage for a summary of how to become a candidate.
The Candidate Election Information Sheet contains information on offices up for election, how to file and qualify, petition requirements, and deadlines.
For information on filing and qualifying as a statewide or multi-county candidate, please visit the Division of Elections’ Candidates and Committees webpage.
Residency Requirements for Leon County Candidates
- County Judge – Must be a resident of Leon County at the time of assuming office. (Division of Elections Advisory Opinion 78-31)
- Constitutional Officers (Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Clerk of the Court, Supervisor of Elections, and Superintendent of Schools) – Must be a resident of Leon County at the time of assuming office. (Art 10, Sec 3, Florida Constitution)
- Leon County Commissioners (Section 2.2(1), Leon County Charter)
- For district seats: Must be a resident of the Leon County district for which they seek election at the time of qualifying.
- For at-large seats: Must be a resident of Leon County at the time of qualifying.
- School Board Members – Must be a resident of the School Board district at the time of qualifying. (Section 1001.361, Florida Statutes)
- Tallahassee Mayor and Commissioners – Must be a resident of the City of Tallahassee at the time of qualifying. (Section 7-5(a-b), City of Tallahassee Charter)
Key Dates
Party Change Deadline
A person seeking nomination as a candidate of a political party must be a member of that political party for the 365 days before the beginning of the qualifying period. (Section 99.021(1)(b), Florida Statutes)
A person seeking to qualify for office as a candidate with no party affiliation cannot be a member of any political party for the 365 days before the beginning of the qualifying period. (Section 99.021(1)(c), Florida Statutes)
Party change deadlines for candidates qualifying to run in 2022:
- Judicial candidates: 4/24/2021
- Local candidates: 6/12/2021
Petition Deadline
In order to be verified, petitions must be received in our office by these deadlines:
- Judicial Candidates: Noon on 3/28/2022
- Local Candidates: Noon on 5/16/2022
Qualifying Period
In order to qualify for office, candidates must file their qualifying paperwork with our office during the qualifying period.
- Judicial Candidates: From noon on 4/25 to noon on 4/29/2022
- Starting on 4/11/2022, 14 days before the beginning of qualifying, we can accept and hold qualifying documents. The documents will not be processed until qualifying begins.
- Local Candidates: From noon on 6/13 to noon on 6/17/2022
- Starting on 5/30/2022, 14 days before the beginning of qualifying, we can accept and hold qualifying documents. The documents will not be processed until qualifying begins.
Resources
Forms
Visit the Division of Elections’ forms webpage to obtain copies of additional publications for candidates.
Publications
Visit the Division of Elections’ Publications webpage to obtain copies of additional publications for candidates.
Vote-by-Mail Ballot Request Data
Candidates can access information on voters who have requested a Vote-by-Mail ballot. To access these files, visit our Public Records and Voter Data webpage.