• Department of State
• Division of Elections
• Candidates & Committees
• Qualifying Information

Qualifying Information

Qualifying Dates

Representative in Congress, State Attorney, Public Defender, Justice of Supreme Court, District Court of Appeal, Circuit Court Judge 

• Noon, Monday, April 20, 2020 – Noon, Friday, April 24, 2020  (Note: The Division will begin accepting qualifying documents on April 6, 2020. See s. 99.061(8), F.S.)

State Senator, State Representative, and Multi-County Special Districts

• Noon, Monday, June 8, 2020 – Noon, Friday, June 12, 2020  (Note: The Division will begin accepting qualifying documents on May 25, 2020. See s. 99.061(8), F.S.)

Write-in candidates for President and Vice President

• 8:00 a.m., June 23, 2020 – Noon, June 30, 2020

Qualifying Materials

• Qualifying Memos
  • State Senate and State Representative
• 2020 Qualifying Fees
• Candidate Petition Handbook - 2020 Election Cycle
• State Qualifying Handbook - 2020 Election Cycle
• Federal Qualifying Handbook - 2020 Election Cycle
• Candidate Petition Form (DS-DE 104)
  • English PDF
  • Español PDF
• Affidavit of Undue Burden - Candidate (DS-DE 19A)
  • English PDF
  • Español PDF
• Use of Nickname on Ballot
• Emergency Rule 1SER20-1 - Designation of Division of Elections as Filing Office for Department of State; Requirements for Candidate Qualifying Papers; Withdrawal of Candidacy
• Emergency Rule 1SER20-2 - Candidate Petition Process

Qualifying Office

Below is the name, location and address of Florida’s qualifying office for U.S. President and Vice-President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, State Senate, State House of Representatives, Judicial (except county judges), multi-county state offices (State Attorney and Public Defender), and multi-county special district candidates:

Department of State, Division of Elections
Bureau of Election Records
Room 316, R.A. Gray Building
500 South Bronough Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250

Presidential Preference Primary

By law, the major political parties must submit no later than November 30 of the year before the election the names of its presidential candidates to be placed on the Presidential Preference Primary ballot, see s. 103.101, Florida Statutes. No later than the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in December of the year before the election, the respective party's list of nominees is published. Candidate nominees have until the 2^nd Tuesday after the 1^st Monday in December of the year before the election to submit a formal written withdrawal. No later than the 3^rd Tuesday after the 1^st Monday in December of the year before the election, the ballot is certified.  

• 2020 Presidential Preference Primary Ballot Certification
• Democratic Candidate Withdrawals
• Publication of Presidential Preference Primary Candidates
• Republican Party of Florida Candidate List
• Florida Democratic Party Candidate List

Special Election Qualifying

Qualifying information for special elections can be found on our Special Elections page.