Laws governing local ballot measures in Florida

Laws Governing Local Ballot Measures

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Terms

Initiative • Home rule • General law city • Charter city • Petition • Initiative petition circulation periods • Circulator • Paid circulator • Volunteer circulator • Circulator affidavit • Signer • Valid signature • Forged signature • Fraudulent signature • Invalid signature • Electronic petition signature • Legislative alteration • Registered voter

This page describes the state constitutional provisions and statutes that govern local ballot measures in Florida. Jurisdictions often establish additional rules within the parameters of state law; those can be found in local ordinances and home-rule charters.

Explore the links below for more information:

• Laws addressing local ballot measure powers in Florida
• General requirements for local ballot measures
• Rules for citizen-initiated local ballot measures
• Rules for referred local ballot measures

Law

The Florida Constitution and Florida Statutes establish the rules that govern local ballot measures in the state.

• Constitution: Article VIII, Section 1
• Statutes: Florida Statutes, Title XII, Chapter 166, Section 031(1) and Title IX, Chapter 100, Section 201

General

The following outlines the general rules that govern local ballot measures in Florida, including both citizen-initiated measures and referred measures from local government bodies.

• Election timing: If a local measure is approved to appear on the ballot, the governing body of the municipality must either put it to a vote at the next general election held within the municipality or at a special election called for such purpose.

• Vote requirements: All local ballot measures in Florida require a simple majority vote to be approved.

• Required ballot measures:
  • Article VIII of the Florida Constitution requires voter-approved ballot measures for the following:
    • Establishing a county government with a charter.
    • Consolidating the governments of a county and municipality within it.
    • Transferring powers from one municipality to another.
    • Establishing a local option for the legality or prohibition of selling alcohol.
  • The Florida Statutes require voter-approved ballot measures for the following:
    • All measures related to issuing bonds.

Initiatives

The following outlines the general rules that govern local citizen-initiated ballot measures in Florida.

• Authority: Title XII, Chapter 166, Section 031(1) of the Florida Statutes grants voters the authority to submit proposals for charter amendments.

• Signatures: All initiatives must be signed by at least 10% of the registered electors from the last municipal general election, except for initiatives related to establishing a local option for the sale of alcohol, which requires signatures equal to at least 25% of the electors in the county.

• Deadline: There are no statewide deadlines for local ballot initiatives. Specific deadlines are found in local charters or ordinances.

Referrals

The following outlines the general rules that govern local referred ballot measures in Florida.

• Authority: Title XII, Chapter 166, Section 031(1) of the Florida Statutes grants the governing body of local municipalities the authority to submit, by ordinance, charter amendments to the ballot for voter approval.

• Deadline: There are no statewide deadlines for referrals. Specific deadlines are published in local statutes.

Laws governing local ballot measures in the U.S.

Laws governing local ballot measures in the United States

As state laws govern ballot measures, the rules are different from state to state. Click on a state below to explore that state's laws on local ballot measures.

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http://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_local_ballot_measures_in_STATE

See also

• Laws governing local ballot measures
• Laws governing local ballot measures in Florida
• Local ballot measures, Florida
• Counties in Florida

Footnotes

Laws governing ballot measures in the United States

Laws governing ballot measures

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Changes to laws governing ballot measures

Types of ballot measures

Citizen-initiated ballot measures • Legislatively referred ballot measures • Automatically referred ballot measures • Commission-referred ballot measures • Convention-referred constitutional amendments

Ballot measure policy terms

Glossary of ballot measure policy terms