Florida SB 1622: District School Board Elections

Bill Text

Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1622

By Senator Gruters

22-00571-23 20231622__
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to district school board elections; 2
amending s. 105.051, F.S.; requiring that candidates 3
for the office of school board member be placed on the 4
general election ballot if no more than two candidates 5
qualify; requiring that a primary election be held if 6
more than two candidates qualify for the office of 7
school board member; specifying that the two 8
candidates receiving the highest number of votes at 9
the primary election advance to the general election; 10
conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 11
providing an effective date. 12
13
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
15
Section 1. Present paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of 16
section 105.051, Florida Statutes, is redesignated as paragraph 17
(d), a new paragraph (c) is added to that subsection, and 18
paragraph (b) of that subsection is amended, to read: 19
105.051 Determination of election or retention to office.— 20
(1) ELECTION.—In circuits and counties holding elections: 21
(b) If two or more candidates, neither of whom is a write-22
in candidate, qualify for the office of circuit judge or county 23
court judge such an office, the names of those candidates must 24
shall be placed on the ballot at the primary election. If any 25
candidate for the office of circuit judge or county court judge 26
such office receives a majority of the votes cast for the such 27
office in the primary election, the name of the candidate who 28
receives a such majority may shall not appear on any other 29

Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1622

22-00571-23 20231622__
Page 2 of 3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
ballot unless a write-in candidate has qualified for such 30
office. An unopposed candidate is shall be deemed to have voted 31
for himself or herself at the general election. If no candidate 32
for the office of circuit judge or county court judge such 33
office receives a majority of the votes cast for the such office 34
in the primary election, the names of the two candidates 35
receiving the highest number of votes for the such office must 36
shall be placed on the general election ballot. If more than two 37
candidates receive an equal and highest number of votes, the 38
name of each candidate receiving an equal and highest number of 39
votes must shall be placed on the general election ballot. In 40
any contest in which there is a tie for second place and the 41
candidate placing first did not receive a majority of the votes 42
cast for the such office, the name of the candidate placing 43
first and the name of each candidate tying for second must shall 44
be placed on the general election ballot. 45
(c)1. If no more than two candidates, neither of whom is a 46
write-in candidate, qualify for a district school board seat, 47
the names of each candidate must be placed on the general 48
election ballot. 49
2. If more than two candidates, neither of whom is a write-50
in candidate, qualify for a district school board seat, the 51
names of those candidates must be placed on the ballot at the 52
primary election. The two candidates receiving the highest 53
number of votes in the primary election, even if a candidate 54
receives a majority of the votes cast, shall advance to the 55
general election and must be placed on the general election 56
ballot. If more than two candidates receive an equal and highest 57
number of votes, the name of each candidate receiving an equal 58

Florida Senate - 2023 SB 1622

22-00571-23 20231622__
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
and highest number of votes must be placed on the general 59
election ballot. In any contest in which there is a tie for 60
second place and the candidate placing first did not receive a 61
majority of the votes cast for such office, the name of the 62
candidate placing first and the name of each candidate tying for 63
second must be placed on the general election ballot. 64
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 65