Submit Signed Petitions for Verification
All signed initiative petitions are to be returned to the sponsoring political committee. The signed forms must then be submitted to the Supervisor of Elections' office in the county of residence of the signee in accordance with Rule 1S-2.0091, Florida Administrative Code. The sponsoring political committee is responsible to ensure the signed forms are filed in the proper county or if misfiled, forwarded to the proper county. Supervisors have 30 days from date of receipt to check and verify the signatures and report the number of valid verified signatures to the Division of Elections. To ensure that all signed forms are verified prior to the deadline, it is recommended that committees submit forms to the Supervisor of Elections as far in advance as possible. Petition signatures are good for two years from the date signed.
Pay for Cost of Verification
It costs seventy-eight cents (78¢) to check signatures. The person or organization submitting the petition must pay the Supervisor of Elections in advance the cost posted by the supervisor pursuant to s. 100.371(11) for the actual cost of checking signatures. If it poses an undue burden on the person or organization to pay for verification, the person or organization can waive the fee by submitting an Affidavit of Undue Burden (DS-DE 19D) to the Division of Elections. The Division will then circulate the oath to each Supervisor of Elections.
Note: An undue burden affidavit cannot be filed if the person or organization pays any person to solicit signatures (see Section 106.191, Florida Statutes). If an undue burden affidavit has been filed but the person or organization later pays any person to solicit signatures on a petition, the affidavit is no longer valid. The person or organization must then pay the Supervisor for all past signature checks and any signatures submitted thereafter. Also, if the person or organization receives any monetary contributions, the person or organization must first reimburse the Supervisor for any signature verification fees that were not paid because of the affidavit (see Section 99.097(6), Florida Statutes, and the note at the top of DS-DE 19D - Affidavit of Undue Burden).
Active Initiative Petitions
Active Initiative Petition Summary
Outline-Charter Amendments & Bond Referenda