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2022 Florida Statutes (Including 2022C, 2022D, 2022A, and 2023B)

Title XXXV AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND ANIMAL INDUSTRY
Chapter 582 SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION Entire Chapter
SECTION 18
Election of supervisors of each district.
F.S. 582.18
582.18 Election of supervisors of each district.—
(1) The election of supervisors for each soil and water conservation district shall be held every 2 years, with one supervisor elected from each of the five numbered subdivisions created by the department pursuant to s. 582.15(4). The elections shall be held at the time of the general election provided for by s. 100.041. The office of the supervisor of a soil and water conservation district is a nonpartisan office, and candidates for such office are prohibited from campaigning or qualifying for election based on party affiliation.
(a) Each candidate for supervisor for such district must qualify as directed by chapter 99.
(b) Each nominee who collects or expends campaign contributions shall conduct her or his campaign for supervisor of a soil and water conservation district in accordance with the provisions of chapter 106. Candidates who neither receive contributions nor make expenditures, other than expenditures for verification of signatures on petitions, are exempt from the provisions of chapter 106 requiring establishment of bank accounts and appointment of a campaign treasurer, but shall file periodic reports as required by s. 106.07.
1(c) The names of all nominees on behalf of whom such nominating petitions have been filed shall appear upon ballots in accordance with the general election laws. All qualified electors residing within the district shall be eligible to vote in such election. The candidates who receive the largest number of the votes cast from each group of candidates in such election shall be the elected supervisors from such group for such district. In the case of a newly created district participating in a regular election for the first time, candidates shall be elected from district subdivisions 1, 3, and 5 for terms of 4 years, and candidates shall be elected from district subdivisions 2 and 4 for initial terms of 2 years. Each candidate elected shall assume office on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January following the election.
(2) After the issuance of a certificate of organization of a soil and water conservation district by the Department of State, or in the event of a vacancy resulting from death, resignation, removal, or otherwise, each vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the remaining supervisors of the district until the next regular election.
History.—s. 6, ch. 18144, 1937; s. 4, ch. 19473, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 4151(477); s. 2, ch. 28094, 1953; s. 3, ch. 67-207; ss. 10, 14, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 72-114; s. 2, ch. 74-53; s. 2, ch. 78-261; s. 42, ch. 84-302; s. 45, ch. 90-315; s. 925, ch. 97-103; s. 31, ch. 2001-40; s. 88, ch. 2002-1; s. 54, ch. 2007-30; s. 2, ch. 2022-191.
1Note.—Section 7, ch. 2022-191, provides that:

“(1) Each supervisor for a soil and water conservation district governing body shall be elected at the 2022 general election. After the 2022 general election, candidates shall be elected pursuant to s. 582.18(1)(c), Florida Statutes, as amended by this act, and subsection (3).

“(2) By January 1, 2023, a district in existence on July 1, 2022, which was not subdivided in its initial creation pursuant to chapter 582, Florida Statutes, and whose district boundaries are wholly located in one county must be subdivided into five numbered subdivisions that match, as practicable, the boundaries of either the five county commission districts or five school board districts in the county. When neither the county commission nor the school board is subdivided into five districts, or when the district is comprised of multiple counties, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall subdivide the district into five numbered subdivisions as nearly equal in area as practicable to ensure geographical representation within that soil and water conservation district’s governing body.

“(3) The following procedures apply to the election of supervisors of soil and water conservation districts subdivided by the department pursuant to subsection (2):

“(a) District governing body seats 1, 3, and 5, which have terms that initially expired in January 2025 or 2027, as applicable depending on the year in which the district was formed, shall represent district subdivisions 1, 3, and 5, respectively. Such seats shall be filled for a term of 4 years.

“(b) District governing body seats 2 and 4, which have terms that initially expired in January 2025 or 2027, as applicable depending on the year in which the district was formed, shall represent district subdivisions 2 and 4, respectively. Such seats shall initially be filled for a term of 2 years in order to achieve staggered terms; thereafter, any such seats shall be filled for a term of 4 years as provided under s. 582.19, Florida Statutes.”