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How to Amend the Florida Constitution

  1. Register as a Political Committee.
  2. Draft amendment according to State requirements and turn in to Division of Elections.
    a. Printed on individual sheets of paper
    b. “Constitutional Amendment Petition Form” must be at the top of the form
    c. Has adequate space for signee’s name, address, city, count, date of birth, voter registration number, signature and date of signature. Only one signature per form.
    d. Ballot title not to exceed 15 words in length
    e. Ballot summary not to exceed 75 words in length
    f. Include article and section being created or amended
    g. Include full text of amendment.
    h. Include disclaimer that reads “Initiative petition sponsored by (name and address of the sponsoring political committee.”
    i. If gathered by a paid petition circulator, include space for the name and address of the paid petition circulator.
  3. Division reviews to make certain all the above is done and if so, assigns a serial number and notifies the sponsoring committee. This serial number must be printed in the lower right hand corner of the petition form.
  4. Sponsoring committee circulates petition for signatures. Signatures are good for two years.
  5. Supervisors of Elections must check the signature within 30 days of receipt.
  6. Once sponsoring committee meets congressional district signature requirements, 76,632 verified signatures from voters residing in at least 7 congressional districts in Florida, the petition is sent to Florida’s Attorney General for review that criteria is met. The Attorney General does not approve the contents of the petition but checks to make sure the title is not misleading and issues an non-binding opinion. Attorney has 30 days to send to Supreme Court.
  7. When the petition is sent to the Attorney General, the Division of Elections also sends a copy to the Financial Impact Estimating Conference.
  8. Supreme Court is under no timeline for ruling. Their ruling is only to determine that the amendment is only one subject and title not misleading.
  9. Circulation of petitions continues for signature gatherings.
  10. Petitions sponsors must have 766,200 verified signatures from one-half (14) of the number of congressional districts (27) in Florida.
  11. In order to be on the ballot, all 766,200 signatures from 14 congressional districts must be verified by February 1 of the election year. It must also have approval from Supreme Court by April 1 of the election year.
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