Commentary: Candidate Support

One of the major responsibilities of my office is to offer support in the administration of campaigns as it relates to the election code. As presidential hopefuls file their candidacy, polish their platforms and launch their campaigns on a national level, our local candidates are busy making provisions too, and we are here to help! This is just one example of the "behind the scenes" work my staff does in between elections!

The Supervisor of Elections' Office serves as a resource to local candidates as well as intermediary to the Division of Elections. We provide the prescribed forms for filing reports and financial statements as mandated in the Florida election code, and offer guidance and training on how to complete them. Prospective candidates and their treasurers attend a workshop which covers training of the online filing software and recommended bookkeeping procedures for campaign finance management.  The workshop covers the calendar of ensuing deadlines for mandatory filing of reports as well as the penalties for failure to comply. My office is required to conduct periodic random audits of candidates' paperwork and make candidate information available to the public which we do via our website, www.pascovotes.com.

Another responsibility of my office is to assist candidates who choose to qualify by the petition method. Each petition is verified to insure that it meets the state requirements for completion, and we conduct a comparison of the petition signature with what is on file from the voter's registration record. We then certify the accepted petitions with the Division of Elections which ultimately determines if the candidate has duly qualified.

 My office provides a training manual to all candidates for their reference, but most importantly, my staff is available by simple phone call or e-mail to offer guidance on any questions or concerns throughout the campaign and election cycle.  Running for office is a tedious and arduous process, and our role is to educate the candidates on the many rules and statutes affiliated with campaigning to ensure that they don't run afoul of the election laws.

We take pride in our proven record of assisting all candidates with the myriad of rules and regulations in running for elected office.  

Editor's note: This commentary was written by Brian E. Corley, Pasco's Supervisor of Elections.