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HCS/SCS/SB 569 - This act modifies the law relating to elections. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS A county commission may appoint an interim county official to the offices of county clerk, auditor, or assessor when a vacancy occurs. The interim appointee serves until the governor appoints a successor. (Section 49.101) COUNTY COLLECTORS, COUNTY TREASURERS, AND COLLECTOR-TREASURERS This act establishes minimum qualifications for the offices county collector and county collector-treasurer. Except for county collectors in charter counties, a candidate for such offices must be at least 21 years of age, a resident of the state and the county in which the candidate will serve for one year prior to filing for office, and a registered voter. Candidates for county collector and county collector-treasurer must be current in the payment of state and local taxes. County collector-treasurers are given the sole authority to appoint their deputies and must remain in office until a successor is elected. Once elected, collectors and collector-treasurers must reside in the county for the duration of their terms. Sheriffs, marshals, clerks, collectors, and deputy collectors are eligible for but cannot hold the office of county treasurer. (Sections 52.010, 54.033, 54.040, 54.330) THIRD CLASS CITY PRIMARIES Certain third class cities are allowed to eliminate, by ordinance or order, primary elections for mayor and councilmen offices. Any person wishing to become a candidate for these offices must file a statement of candidacy with the city clerk in order to be placed on the ballot. (Section 78.090) DATES AVAILABLE FOR ELECTIONS This act removes the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June as a date available for public elections. Currently, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in February is available for public elections. This act only allows bond elections to occur on that date. This act allows tax elections necessitated by a financial hardship due to a 5% or greater decline in per-pupil state revenue to a school district from the previous year, to be conducted at any time. (Section 115.123) CANDIDATE BONDING Candidates, with the exception of those running for certain local offices, are required to declare under penalty of perjury that they are able to fulfill all bonding requirements for the office. (Section 115.342) ELECTION OFFENSES It is a class four election offense for an election authority or political subdivision to discourage potential candidates from filing for the purposes of eliminating the requirement to hold an election. (Section 115.637) FILING FEES Currently, state committees of political parties are required to pay a filing fee of $1,000 to place a candidate on the presidential primary ballot. This act increases that fee to $10,000. (Section 115.761) BALLOTS Party emblems shall not be printed on the ballot above the party caption. (Section 115.241) This act is similar to HCS/HB 121 (2011), HCS/HB 889 (2011), HCS/SB 61 (2011), CCS/HCS/SB 282 (2011), HCS/SCS/SB 270 (2011), HCS/HB 1340 (2012), SCS/SB 671 (2012), HCS/HB 1060 (2012), HCS/SB 1106 (2012), HB 1036 (2012), and HB 1250 (2012). CHRIS HOGERTY
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