HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999 09 20 Advisory Legal Opinion - Resign to Run.pdfP.3
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00<"'....~ 1I</......\otg~... ~ e.p.-~ .."",."",' 1>Ir""FWRlI:\>\ DEPAF:TMENTOF StATE
, Katherine Harris
:~ofSta'"
Olv15l0N OF ELECTIONS
August 23, 1999
This is in response to jVl.&r 1=of~~gUSt 19. 1999.1ll:ld our previous telephone
ccrrversaticn, According to YOW" 1~. tl:l.ere ls a. ca:odidme for the: City CoUD,J;;jl of
Cteeaoce wlw is cu=tly a ll",,,,b<!r <lithe city', Planlling 8n<I ZoDing COlllnlission
(Commhsion). He was a,ppointed to the Cc~siol1 andserves without a salary. The
candidate hIlS qualiiied fur lhc City Council seat, but never resigned frozn his position 011
the Commission. I
The city cberter contains a provision. ~clc Il, See. 12~ &11 closely tracks. Florida's
'1:'esigu-to--run."law, section 99.012,:Fl~da Statutes. However, un1.ie \be.rta;e law, it
4o<S not illcludc "" exceptionfor "'~ of appolntcil boards who servewithout a
salary. &. §9'i.012(7)(a). Fla: StoJ.I(W97). Thus, there oppears to be a conflict between
the two ptovisibm.
You. have asked for guidailce on this iistuc. ~ I mentioIl.od in our telephone
cccvessaece,the Division ofBlectiOFibas no amhority to int.etpret provisions of a
municipal charter. Thus,l am not p~ 1.0 say that a CQo.flict exists between 1b.e
charter provision and section 99.012,1 Fjocida Statute>. Certainly,one could orgue tha1
because there is no express exe:mpti~ ~r appoitlt~ board members who serve without a
salary, that the candidate in que&tion shtNId have resigned from bi$ Commission position
Wore qualifying for Cit)' COuncil. '
[ d;r.ct)'\lUl' atteaticn to AttoroOj' Gej1etaJ Opini0ll82-91 (AG &2.91), "'bid>. in essence
stares !hat a municipality ='not Mopl an oo:linal>cc requiring members of Iccal
appointed boards to serve with"'" sal~ to resign their pcsitioas -.h<n s,,,h of!ice<> are
0.01 required to resign under section 99.012, Florida Statutes The opinion cites to several ,
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Thy GpitoI • Room 1801 .. -ral!ah<IS~, nori,d.13.2.399-D25Cl .. (850) 488-7690
FAX: (650) 4S.cJ-17~ http://Wl'lo,.,..dMl .... Ul.~_fl_~· E-M.ail.: dtXfiorl@ml;lil-dos.stJtllf,n.wo
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FROM
August 23, 1999 Ip"&,, T"'"
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coW cast'S and appears to be on po¥-i ~rd.ingly,tho charter's "reslgn-tc-rua"
prevision may be invalid under the ~p1es set forth in AG g2~91,
The oaDIlida!e in question has duly ~Jmed and bas been placed on the bolloL I am not
awaze ofany provision tlmt would.ar'1 authorize 1lJ.e city clerk or county supavisor of
elections to .rem.Q~ tho candid.ate·£.~e fronl'c:he ba£.ot" ill the 6~-nC4 of a court crder.
.see §99.012(6J, Fill. SlPr. The qUlll#J1zzg offioer', role is purely rniDislerial."d
therefore, he or she muot aceop< • ",*,t!idato's qualifyma-l'3I"'" as true -oone¢: on
their face. :state t!% rei. .I1te1i), v. szq,-! 279 SoU 17.22 (pia. 1972);Cherry Y. Stone;
265 se.za 56, 58 (pia. I' DCA 197~J.1
Fm.illy. I d« n,otboli"_tho~-!JUIldor any obligation to notify rotential cond.id_
'vf,", cluJ.rtcr·s ~-tG-nttl" P s.ibn. Likewise, theDivisionis net required. to notify
its oaDIlidates ofsediOl199.012. '<!a Sta!lltes, but as. eouttesy, r<ft:s to the
Tequimncnt in the: umt,giab we '4: tc cacdicetes. See P'"i;l! 2, 1998 QuuiiJam
Handbook on Campai8'" Fin<z1u:"'<:.1 rjoo4dition. tM <»tb filed ueder sectio. 99.021.
Flotida Starutes, requires a candidat. tb _ 'M' he has complied with the resigz>-~"",
law. I I
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I hope the above iDfonmtion is be.1pfu!.,
Sincerely, !
: I ~~~!
Emmett MitcheU, IV I I
A<SiSlaIlt General CollllSOl I
EMIVlst I Ii
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At.l<lcl>m<nls i i
«".County Suporviso, OfEI1i-s
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MKMltF.R PlANlaNG AJm zollllNo BOAlUJ
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I:IlImIbiII' at II:ll "'I'P'rinti ..... boU'd .. -CICbaI:hT ~~ 6-vm tb.. ~""lDw,tIIIIDQ. I:rl" tbt
~&QOll J'Ol.I bOte iQ roar Idtc tha\. ~of U. ~aDd. ~:so.rd of.Cit7 at IbJtb
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Doe-8Drooo. IOU'I. Jlorid,a ~s-mlt .. t;mbMltteo fvI-m~ nallllDd tile O'flie.
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