The candidate qualifying period for the 2020 City Commission municipal election for the three City Commission district seats opens at noon Monday, June 8, and ends at noon, Friday, June 12. Qualifying packets are available for pickup by appointment only at the Office of the City Auditor and Clerk at City Hall, 1565 First St. Call 941-263-6222 or emailclerk@sarasotaFL.gov to arrange a pickup. Candidates, including those who pre-qualified, must qualify during the specified time frame to have their name placed on the ballot for the first election to be held on Tuesday, Aug. 18. 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. 

To qualify, each person must have resided in and been a qualified elector of the respective district for which they are qualifying for a minimum of one year immediately preceding the commencement of the term of office (Nov. 6, 2020), and 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 Aug. 8-16 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily, locations to be determined. 

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