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 West Palm Beach
 Code of Ordinances
 Chapter 30. ELECTIONS

  § 30-2. Alternative method of qualifying.  

Latest version.

  • (a)

    A person seeking to qualify for election to any office who is unable to pay the filing fee prescribed by section 30-1 without imposing an undue burden on his personal resources or on resources otherwise available to him may qualify to have his name placed on the ballot by means of the petitioning process prescribed in this section, providing the person satisfies all other qualifying requirements. A person using this petitioning process shall file an oath with the city clerk stating that he intends to qualify for the office sought and stating that he is unable to pay the filing fee for that office without imposing an undue burden on his personal resources or on resources otherwise available to him. Such oath shall be filed at any time after the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of the year prior to the year in which the election is to be held but prior to the last day of November of said year. The city clerk shall prescribe the form to be used in administering and filing such oath. No signatures shall be obtained by a candidate on any nominating petition until he has filed the oath required in this section.

    (b)

    Upon receipt of a written oath from a candidate, the city clerk shall provide the candidate with petition forms in sufficient numbers to facilitate the gathering of signatures pursuant to this section. Such forms shall be prescribed by the city clerk.

    (c)

    When a candidate has filed the oath prescribed in subsection (a) of this section, he may begin to seek signatures on petitions supporting his candidacy. Only signatures of electors who are registered to vote in the city shall be counted toward obtaining the minimum numbers as prescribed in this subsection. A candidate for the office of mayor shall obtain the signatures of a number of qualified electors equal to at least three percent of the total number of registered electors of the city as shown by the registration lists for the city for the last preceding election. A candidate for the office of city commissioner shall obtain the signatures of a number of qualified electors equal to at least three percent of the total number of registered electors represented by the office sought as shown by the voter registration lists for the city for the last preceding election.

    (d)

    Each candidate shall submit the petitions for verification to the city clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. of the tenth day preceding the first day of qualifying. The city clerk shall cause the signatures to be verified as to their status as electors of the city. Prior to 5:00 p.m. of the first day of qualifying, the city clerk shall notify each candidate of the status of his petition. If the required number of signatures has been obtained, the candidate shall, during the time prescribed for qualifying for office, submit a copy of such notice and file his qualifying papers and oath with the city clerk. The candidate shall reimburse the city for the cost of verification of the electors' signatures.

(Code 1979, § 9-4; Ord. No. 4008-07, § 2, 10-22-2007)