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Signature requirements for ballot measures in Florida
This page details signature requirements for statewide ballot measures in Florida.
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| Laws • History |
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Requirements
To place a constitutional amendment on the ballot, proponents must collect signatures equal to 8% of the total number of votes cast in the last presidential election. To place a call for a constitutional convention on the ballot, proponents must collect signatures equal to 15% of that total.
The chart below shows election years and the signature requirement for initiatives designed to appear on the ballot in that year, with presidential election years bolded.
| Year | Amendment | Convention |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 891,523 | 1,671,728 |
| 2022 | 891,589 | 1,671,728 |
| 2020 | 766,200 | 1,436,625 |
| 2018 | 766,200 | 1,436,625 |
| 2016 | 683,149 | 1,271,127 |
| 2014 | 683,149 | 1,271,127 |
| 2012 | 676,811 | 1,267,449 |
| 2010 | 676,811 | 1,267,449 |
| 2008 | 611,009 | 1,145,642 |
See law: Florida Constitution, Article XI, Section 3-4
Change in number of required signatures
The chart below illustrates the changes in the number of required signatures for Florida ballot measures from 2008 to 2024.
Basis of calculation
In Florida, the number of votes used to calculate the signature requirement for initiatives is based on the number of actually accepted ballots. It counts all accepted ballots turned in for the presidential election, whether or not a presidential candidate was selected. The number of votes used for the calculation differs slightly from the number reported in the state's official turnout reports because certain ballots are counted in the turnout report, which is designed to measure participation, that are not counted among accepted ballots for the signature requirement calculation.
- 2021-2024: In 2020, 11,144,855 Florida voters cast an accepted ballot in the 2020 presidential election, providing the signature requirements for ballot measures until the 2024 presidential election.[1]
- 2017-2020: In 2016, 9,577,333 Florida voters cast an accepted ballot in the presidential election, providing the signature requirements for ballot measures until the 2020 presidential election.
- 2013-2016: In 2012, 8,474,179 Florida voters cast a vote in the presidential race, providing the signature requirements for ballot measures until the 2016 presidential election.
- 2009-2012: In Florida, 8,460,133 voters cast a presidential vote in 2008, setting the basis for signature requirement calculation until after the 2012 presidential election.[2]
Geographical distribution
- See also: Distribution requirement
Proponents must obtain signatures equaling at least 8 percent of the district-wide vote in the most recent presidential election in at least half (14) of the state's 28 congressional districts.
See law: Florida Constitution, Article XI, Section 3
Signature deadlines
In Florida, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 8 percent of the votes cast in the preceding presidential election. Florida also has a signature distribution requirement, which requires that signatures equaling at least 8 percent of the district-wide vote in the last presidential election be collected from at least half (14) of the state's 28 congressional districts. Signatures remain valid until February 1 in even-numbered years. Signatures must be verified by February 1 of the general election year the initiative aims to appear on the ballot.
2022
Initiative signatures must be verified by February 1, 2022 and, thus, must be submitted to county officials long enough before that date to allow for the verification process. County supervisors of elections have a maximum of 30 days to verify signatures and submit them to the secretary of state, which means to guarantee that local officials verify and submit signatures, they should be submitted by January 2, 2022.
2020
The deadline for signatures to be certified by the Florida secretary of state in order to qualify initiated constitutional amendments for the 2020 Florida ballot was set by law to be February 1, 2020. Since state law gives the secretary of state 30 days to verify signatures, petitioners needed to submit signatures on or before January 2, 2020, to guarantee that an initiative would qualify for the ballot in 2020.
2018
The deadline for signatures to be certified by the Florida secretary of state in order to qualify initiated constitutional amendments for the 2018 Florida ballot was set by law to be February 1, 2018. Since state law gives the secretary of state 30 days to verify signatures, petitioners needed to submit signatures on or before January 1, 2018, to guarantee that an initiative qualify for the ballot in 2018.
2016
- See also: Petition drive deadlines, 2016
The deadline for signatures to be certified by the Florida secretary of state in order to qualify initiated state statutes and initiated constitutional amendments for the 2016 Florida ballot was set by law to be February 1, 2016. Since state law gives the secretary of state 30 days to verify signatures, petitioners needed to submit signatures on or before January 1, 2016, to guarantee that an initiative qualify for the ballot in 2016.[3]
2014
The deadline for signatures to be certified by the Florida secretary of state in order to qualify initiatives and constitutional amendments for the Florida ballot was set by law to be February 1, 2014. Petitioners needed to submit signatures long enough before this date to allow state elections officials to validate the signatures. State officials are allowed a maximum of 30 days to investigate signatures.[4]
2012
The deadline to submit signatures to qualify an initiated constitutional amendment for the 2012 ballot in Florida was 30 days before February 1, 2012.[5]
Local recall
- See also: Laws governing recall in Florida
Signatures must be collected at two points in the recall process in Florida, once before the recall target has provided a 200-word defense and once after that.
First round of signatures
The number of signatures required to force a local recall election in Florida varies depending on the number of registered voters residing in the relevant political subdivision, as per this chart:
| Number of registered voters in jurisdiction | Signature requirement |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 500 | 50 registered voters, or 10% |
| 500-1,999 | 100 registered voters, or 10%, whichever is greater |
| 2,000-4,999 | 250 registered voters, or 10%, whichever is greater |
| 5,000-9,999 | 500 registered voters, or 10%, whichever is greater |
| 10,000-24,999 | 1,000 registered voters, or 10%, whichever is greater |
| 25,000 or more | 1,000 registered voters, or 5%, whichever is greater |
Second round of signatures
If the first set of signatures is found to be sufficient, the recall target is then invited to write a statement of defense. This must be done within five days of the time that it is determined that the initial signatures were sufficient. If the recall target provides a defense statement, the clerk of the relevant jurisdiction creates a document known as a "Recall Petition and Defense." Once this document is created and provided to the recall committee, the recall committee must then collect more signatures, equaling 15 percent of the electors in the relevant jurisdiction within 60 days after the time that the "Recall Petition and Defense" was delivered by the jurisdiction's clerk to the chair of the recall committee.
Once collected, the second set of signatures are given to the county's supervisor of elections, along with a fee of $0.10 per submitted signature.
The supervisor of elections must inspect the second set of signatures within 30 days of submission.
See also
- Laws governing the initiative process in Florida
- History of Initiative & Referendum in Florida
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Florida
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Northwest Florida Daily News, "It will be a lot harder to put proposed constitutional amendments on the 2022 ballot," accessed December 21, 2020
- ↑ Florida Division of Elections, "Congressional District Requirements," accessed February 2015
- ↑ Florida Secretary of State, "2015-2017 Election Dates Calendar," accessed July 20, 2015
- ↑ Florida Department of State, "2014 Dates to Remember," accessed December 26, 2013
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff writer, "Telephone interview with Florida elections division," January 21, 2011
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