Become a Candidate

Steps to Become a Candidate

Indian River County Supervisor of Elections is here to help you file for office.

What is included in the filing process?

To become a candidate, official forms must be filed with the appropriate filing officer.

Filing Officers:

  • Division of Elections for state, multi-county, district and judicial offices (except county court judges)
  • Indian River County Supervisor of Elections for county court judge, countywide offices and special districts (except Sebastian Inlet tax district)
  • Municipal Clerk for municipal offices
  • STEP 1 - File Your Intent File with the Election Center the Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository using Form DS-DE 9. This form MUST be filed prior to opening the campaign depository, accepting contributions, making expenditures, or circulating petition forms. Filing your intent for candidacy is not complete until filing forms are accepted and date/time stamped by the Indian River County Supervisor of Elections. Special District candidates are not required to file DS-DE 9 or open a campaign account unless you collect contributions or make expenditures for anything other than the filing fee or petition verification fee. (Section 99.061 F.S.)
  • STEP 2 - Acknowledgement of Requirements Within 10 days after filing the Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository, you MUST file a Statement of Candidate. Form DS-DE 84. Judicial candidates MUST also file a Statement of Candidate for Judicial Office: DS-DE 83.
  • STEP 3 - Choose One of the Following Qualifying Methods
    1. Petition Process: Form DS-DE 104 (Section 99.095 F.S., Rule 1S-2.045)
    2. Pay Qualifying Fee: (Section 99.092 F.S.)
    3. Write-In Candidate: (Section 99.061(4) F.S.)
  • STEP 4 - Qualify During the Official Qualifying Period
  • Official Qualifying Office: Indian River County Supervisor of Elections 4375 43rd Ave.,  Vero Beach, FL 32967

The Florida Division of Elections DS-DE 9, DS-DE 83, DS-DE 84 & DS-DE 104 can be found on the Florida Division of Elections website.

Write-In Candidates

F.S. 99.061(4)(a) Each person seeking to qualify for election to office as a write-in candidate shall file his or her qualification papers with the respective qualifying officer at any time after noon of the 1st day for qualifying, but not later than noon of the last day of the qualifying period for the office sought. (b) Any person who is seeking election as a write-in candidate shall not be required to pay a filing fee, election assessment, or party assessment. A write-in candidate is not entitled to have his or her name printed on any ballot; however, space for the write-in candidate’s name to be written in must be provided on the general election ballot. A person may not qualify as a write-in candidate if the person has also otherwise qualified for nomination or election to such office.

In order for your vote to count for a write-in candidate, the candidate must be a qualified candidate. For information on who has qualified as a write-in candidate:

  1. Consult the Florida Division of Elections website for candidates who qualify with the Division of Elections.
  2. Consult the Candidate Profiles page on the Supervisor of Elections website for candidates who qualify with the Indian River County Supervisor of Elections office.