CANDIDATE GUIDE
FILING (ANNOUNCING) FOR COUNTY OFFICE - STEP 1
Required Announcing Forms
DS-DE 9 — Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository
DS-DE 84 — Statement of Candidate (attesting that you have read and understand campaign finance law)
DS-DE 83 — Judicial Candidates only — Statement of Candidate for Judicial Office (attesting you have read and understand the Florida Code of Judicial Conduct)
You must file form DS-DE9, Appointment of Campaign Treasurer, before opening your campaign account, accepting any contributions, making any campaign expenditures, or collecting petitions.
Within 10 days of filing form DS-DE9, you must file form DS-DE84, Statement of Candidate. Candidates for Judicial Office must within 10 days of filing form DS-DE9 also file form DS-DE83, Statement of Candidate for Judicial Office.
Where To File
Where you file for candidacy depends on the office you’re seeking.
If you’re running for a county office, you’ll file and qualify with us.
If you’re running for a federal, state or multi-county seat, the Florida Division of Elections is your qualifying officer.
For more details on the offices up for election, click here. For information on qualifying with the Division of Elections, click here.
QUALIFYING FOR COUNTY OFFICE - STEP 2
ATTENTION: Recent law (s. 11 of Chapter 2021-11, Laws of Florida) requires a person seeking nomination as a candidate of a political party to be a member of that political party for the 365 days BEFORE the beginning of the applicable qualifying period. Additionally, the law requires a person seeking to qualify for office as a candidate with no party affiliation to not be a member of any political party for the 365 days BEFORE the beginning of the applicable qualifying period.
Once you file to run for office, you will be listed as a filed candidate here and you will log in here to file regular financial reports.
The information on this page applies to candidates for county office, who qualify with our office. Candidates for federal, state or multi-county offices should contact the Florida Division of Elections.
Qualifying Dates
Judicial Candidates: Noon, April 22, 2024 – Noon, April 26, 2024 (We will begin accepting qualifying documents on April 8, 2024, as per F.S. 99.061(8))
All Other County & Special District Candidates: Noon, June 10, 2024 – Noon, June 14, 2024
(Pre-qualifying papers will be accepted beginning May 28, 2024. F.S. 99.061(8) states that qualifying papers may be submitted to the qualifying officer beginning 14 days prior to the qualifying period. Pinellas County Elections Offices will be CLOSED in observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 27, 2024.)
Qualifying Methods
Required Qualifying Forms & Fees
Candidate Oath — Your name will appear on the ballot as it appears on this form. This form must also be notarized. Please see the section above titled, "County Candidate Requirements" to determine which candidate oath is required.
2023 Form 6 — Constitutional Officers, County Commission and School Board Member Candidates — You must file the Form 6 online first and then provide a copy to our office during the Pre-Qualifying/Qualifying Period. If you have any questions regarding how to fill out this form, you may view instructions here or contact the Commission on Ethics at 850-488-7864.
2023 Form 1 — Special District & Community Development District Candidates Only — You must file a hard copy of your Form 1 with our office during the Pre-Qualifying/Qualifying Period. If you have any questions regarding how to fill out this form, you may view instructions here or contact the Commission on Ethics at 850-488-7864.
Candidates must qualify to run for office by submitting qualifying forms and a qualifying fee. In lieu of paying a qualifying fee, you may choose to qualify by petition or as a write-in candidate. Write-in candidates' names do not appear on the ballot.
Our office can begin accepting qualifying forms and fees during the pre-qualifying period, which takes place 14 days prior to the official qualifying dates.(Forms and fees will then be processed on the first day of qualifying week.) All qualifying forms and fees (if applicable) must be received no later than noon on the last day of the qualifying period. Qualifying forms may be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, Attn: Candidate Services, 13001 Starkey Rd., Largo, FL 33773. Qualifying checks may not be emailed, and should be mailed to this address.
Qualifying By Fee
The qualifying fee is based on the salary of the office as of July 1, 2023. You may view specific amounts by selecting the County Candidate Requirement links above. Your qualifying fee must be paid using a check drawn on your campaign account, made payable to the Supervisor of Elections, and signed by the treasurer. These fees are due the week of qualifying, but can be turned in during the pre-qualifying period.
Qualifying By Petition
The qualifying fee is waived if you qualify by petition.
A candidate running for countywide office in 2022 may qualify by submitting valid petition signatures equal to 1% (or 7,112 petition signatures) of the registered voters in Pinellas County as of the last general election, November 3, 2020.
A candidate running for a single-member district in 2022 may qualify by submitting valid signature petitions equal to one fourth of 1% (or 1,778 petition signatures) of the registered voters in Pinellas County as if the last general election, November 3, 2020.
Additional Candidate Petition Information Here
HELPFUL FORMS & PUBLICATIONS
FORMS:
PUBLICATIONS:
CANDIDATE DATA ORDER INFORMATION
To request any of the following, please call (727) 464-4958 or email [email protected]:
- A copy of the voter file with voter history.
- All current mail ballot request information (See Oath of Acquisition for list of eligible recipients).
Please note: anyone requesting data regarding mail ballots must first file an Oath of Acquisition with our office.
FINANCIAL REPORTING
Candidates are required to submit regular financial reports, following the deadlines specified by the Florida Division of Elections. Campaign Treasurer Reports must be electronically filed through the Supervisor of Elections’ website (www.VotePinellas.com/CFinance) using the C-Finance module no later than Midnight (Eastern Time) of the reporting due date as required by law or the reports are deemed filed late and are subject to the applicable penalties pursuant to Florida Statute 106.07.
COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS
If you think someone is violating election law, you should file a complaint with the Florida Elections Commission.