Qualifying Ends for State Candidates, Record Number Running For Governor
June 22nd, 2018 by Jake Stofan
The line up for this election season is now complete.
Candidate qualifying for state and local offices ended Friday at noon, and there appears to be record setting interest in running for office.
This is what it looked like over a twenty minute period at the State Division of Elections Friday morning.
Largo veteran Noel Howard is one the record 19 people who paid at least $5,200 to run for Governor this year.
“I think we need to have a serious look at the handicap situation here in Florida. We’re thirteen percent of the population,”
Seven Democrats and seven republicans will be on the August ballot.
Orlando developer Chris King was the final major Democratic contender to file.
He’s poured over $3 million of his own cash into the race over the last 16 months.
“I want to be the Governor who brings private prisons and the death penalty to an end here in Florida,” said King. “The Governor who will legalize and regulate marijuana.”
In addition to the candidates paying the fee, there’s a handful of write-ins.
Their name won’t be on the ballot, but they can tell their grandkids they ran for Governor.
UPS made two deliveries to drop off qualifying paperwork.
Even the slightest mistake will keep candidates off the ballot.
Terry Power rushed into the division after getting a call Friday morning saying there was an error in his previously filed documents.
“I remember thinking I’m glad I was a pilot. I’ve been here many times and it was an hour and ten minutes,” said Power.
Not far behind Power was a Palm Beach State Representative who walked in as qualifying was closing after he forgot to file his paperwork
Fewer State Senate and House incumbents are also seeing more challenges running against them then in years past.
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