HB 1401

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to Broward County; amending chapter 75-
3	350, Laws of Florida, as amended by chapters 76-336 and
4	77-507, Laws of Florida; revising provisions relating to
5	the governing of municipal elections in Broward County;
6	specifying the dates on which municipal candidates shall
7	file qualification papers and pay certain fees with
8	respect to certain elections; revising provisions relating
9	to the dates on which municipal primary and general
10	elections shall be held; authorizing municipalities to
11	extend or reduce terms of office for certain purposes;
12	authorizing the governing body of each municipality to
13	change the date of its municipal elections by ordinance,
14	subject to approval by referendum; requiring the
15	supervisor of elections to provide to each municipality a
16	schedule of fees and charges for all municipal election
17	services for the following calendar year by a time
18	certain; providing an effective date.
19
20	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22	Section 1.  Chapter 75-350, Laws of Florida, as amended by
23	chapters 76-336 and 77-507, Laws of Florida, is amended to read:
24	Section 1.  It is the intent of this act to provide for
25	uniform filing and election dates for all municipal elections in
26	Broward County. It is not the intent of this act to determine
27	the length of terms of municipal offices.
28	Section 2.  For any municipal elections held in Broward
29	County in March of a calendar year, candidates for any municipal
30	office in such elections Broward County shall file such papers
31	and pay such fees as may be required by law with the applicable
32	municipal city clerk no earlier than noon on the first work day
33	in January nor later than noon on the 14th day following the
34	first work day in January of the calendar year in which the
35	election is to be held. For any municipal elections held in
36	Broward County in November of a calendar year, candidates for
37	office in such elections shall file such papers and pay such
38	fees as may be required by law with the applicable municipal
39	clerk no earlier than noon on the first work day in September
40	nor later than noon on the 14th day following the first work day
41	in September of the calendar year in which the election is to be
42	held.
43	Section 3.  Any primary election relating to a municipal
44	office held in a municipality in Broward County shall be held on
45	the second 2nd Tuesday in of February of a calendar year or the
46	first Tuesday of October of any even-numbered calendar year and
47	all general elections relating to a municipal office held in a
48	municipality in Broward County shall be held on the second
49	Tuesday in March of a the calendar year or the first Tuesday in
50	November of any even numbered calendar year.
51	Section 4.  Any municipality whose charter or ordinances
52	provided for a primary election to determine a slate of
53	candidates for a municipal office and which charter or ordinance
54	provision was in effect prior to the effective date of Chapter
55	75-350, Laws of Florida, may, upon adopting or reenacting an
56	ordinance authorizing primary elections approved by a majority
57	vote of those qualified electors of the municipality voting in a
58	referendum election, conduct such a primary election to
59	determine a slate of candidates for election to municipal
60	office.
61	Section 5.  In any primary election held in any race for
62	municipal offices in Broward County the manner and method by
63	which a slate of candidates is to be determined shall be as
64	provided by the Charter or Code of Ordinances of the
65	municipality conducting the primary election as provided herein.
66	In any general election in races for municipal offices in
67	Broward County, the candidate or candidates, depending upon the
68	number to be elected, receiving the highest number of votes in
69	the election shall be the winner. Such duly elected municipal
70	officers shall take office within fourteen (14) days after the
71	general election with the specific day to be decided by local
72	ordinance.
73	Section 6.  In order to implement any change in the month
74	in which elections will be held, Broward County municipalities
75	may either extend or reduce terms of office of existing elected
76	officials for a period of up to eight (8) months. Initially any
77	municipal officer whose term of office expires subsequent to
78	July 1 in any calendar year shall stand for re-election in March
79	of the following calendar year and shall continue in office
80	until the election of his successor.  Initially any municipal
81	officer whose term of office expires prior to and including July
82	1 in any calendar year shall stand for re-election in March of
83	that calendar year.
84	Section 7.  The governing body of each municipality in
85	Broward County may, at its discretion, amend its Charter to
86	change the date of its municipal elections in accordance with
87	this act by ordinance, subject to approval by referendum;
88	provided, however, that any change in election date will not be
89	effective until at least eighteen (18) months after the approval
90	of the ordinance by the municipality?s governing body. The
91	provisions of section 6 shall apply only to the first election
92	for each office to be held under the provisions of the act.
93	Thereafter, the terms of all municipal offices shall correspond
94	to the dates provided pursuant to this act.
95	Section 8.  All municipal elections shall be canvassed by
96	the county canvassing board with said board certifying the
97	results to each city clerk within five (5) days after the
98	election.
99	Section 9.  The Broward Supervisor of Elections shall
100	provide to each Broward County municipality by the first work
101	day in April of the calendar year a schedule of fees and charges
102	for municipal election services for the following calendar year.
103	Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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