Senate Bill sb1542

    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1542

    By Senator Cowin





    20-470B-03

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to elections; revising the

  3         primary date in 2004; suspending operation of

  4         the second primary election until January 1,

  5         2006; providing a date in 2004 by which

  6         candidates for Lieutenant Governor must be

  7         designated and qualified; providing campaign

  8         finance reporting dates and contribution limits

  9         for the 2004 elections; providing an effective

10         date.

11

12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

13

14         Section 1.  (1)  Notwithstanding section 100.061,

15  Florida Statutes, for the year 2004, a primary election for

16  nomination of candidates of political parties shall be held on

17  the second Tuesday in September. The candidate receiving the

18  highest number of the votes cast in each contest in the

19  primary election shall be declared nominated for such office.

20  If two or more persons receive an equal and highest number of

21  votes for the same office, such persons shall draw lots to

22  determine who shall receive the nomination.

23         (2)  Notwithstanding section 100.091, Florida Statutes,

24  or any other provision of the Florida Election Code to the

25  contrary, there shall be no second primary election between

26  the effective date of this act and January 1, 2006.

27         (3)(a)  No later than 5 p.m. of the 9th day following

28  the primary election in 2004, each candidate for Governor

29  shall designate a Lieutenant Governor as a running mate.  Such

30  designation must be made in writing to the Department of

31  State.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 1542
    20-470B-03




  1         (b)  No later than the time specified in paragraph (a),

  2  each designated candidate for Lieutenant Governor shall file

  3  with the Department of State the qualifying papers specified

  4  in section 99.063, Florida Statutes.

  5         (4)(a)  For the 2004 elections, following the last day

  6  of qualifying for office, reports pursuant to section 106.07,

  7  Florida Statutes, shall be filed on the 32nd, 18th, and 4th

  8  days immediately preceding the primary election and on the

  9  46th, 32nd, 18th, and 4th days immediately preceding the

10  general election.

11         (b)  For the 2004 elections, following the last day of

12  qualifying for office, any statewide candidate who has

13  requested to receive contributions from the Election Campaign

14  Financing Trust Fund or any statewide candidate in a race with

15  a candidate who has requested to receive contributions from

16  the trust fund shall file reports on the 4th, 11th, 18th,

17  25th, and 32nd days immediately preceding the primary election

18  and on the 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th, 32nd, 39th, 46th, and 53rd

19  days prior to the general election.

20         (5)  For the 2004 elections, there shall be two

21  elections for purposes of the contribution limits in section

22  106.08, Florida Statutes.

23         Section 2.  This act shall take effect January 2, 2004.

24

25            *****************************************

26                          SENATE SUMMARY

27    Provides for the primary election in 2004 to be held on
      the second Tuesday in September. Suspends operation of
28    the second primary election until January 1, 2006.
      Specifies dates for a candidate for Lieutenant Governor
29    to be designated and qualified. Provides dates for
      reporting campaign contributions. Revises contribution
30    limits for the 2004 elections.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.