Candidate qualifying period for City of Sarasota elections opens June 8

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Period will end on June 12

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The candidate qualifying period for the 2020 election for three Sarasota City Commission district seats will open at noon on Monday, June 8, and end at noon on Friday, June 12, the city has announced.

This will be the first election of city commissioners since an advocacy group called Decide the Date won a change in the schedule from odd-year elections to those coinciding with the general election cycle.

Qualifying packets are available for pickup by appointment only at the Office of the City Auditor and Clerk at City Hall, which is located at 1565 First St. “Call 941-263-6222 or email clerk@sarasotaFL.gov to arrange a pickup,” a city news release says.

Candidates, including those who pre-qualified, must qualify during the specified time frame to have their names placed on the ballot for the first election to be held on Tuesday, Aug. 18, the release points out. “The two candidates receiving the highest number of votes cast in the first election in each district will have their names placed on the ballot for the general election to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3,” the release adds.

To qualify, each person must have resided in and been a qualified elector of the respective district for which he or she is qualifying for a minimum of one year immediately preceding the commencement of the term of office (Nov. 6, 2020), the release says.

Additionally, each candidate must submit the following documents to the Office of the City Auditor and Clerk during the qualifying period:

  • A petition verified by the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections with a minimum of 25 signatures of registered voters within the candidate’s district.
  • Form DS-DE-9 — Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository for Candidates.
  • Form DS-DE-84 — Statement of Candidate.
  • Form DS-DE-25 — Oath of Candidate, executed and notarized.
  • Form 1 2019 — Completed Statement of Financial Interests for calendar year 2019.
  • A $281.49 election assessment fee or An Affidavit of Undue Burden, if applicable.

Early voting for the first election will be held from Aug. 8 to Aug. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, with locations to be determined, the release notes.

For more information on early voting, persons may call the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Office at 941-861-8600 or visit www.sarasotavotes.com.