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ITEM: ORDINANCE NO. 2025-25 (AMENDING THE QUALIFYING PERIOD FOR THE MARCH 2026 ELECTION)
AN ORDINANCE OF WELLINGTON, FLORIDA’S COUNCIL AMENDING THE CANDIDATE QUALIFYING PERIOD; PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
REQUEST: Approval of Ordinance No. 2025-25 amending the qualifying period for Wellington’s March, 2026 municipal election.
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EXPLANATION: Wellington’s Charter sets forth the qualifying period and dates for Wellington’s municipal elections. Pursuant to Section 9.C., “any resident of the Village who wishes to become a candidate for a village elective office shall qualify with the Village Clerk no sooner than noon on the last Tuesday in January nor later than noon on the second Tuesday in February of the year in which the election is to be held”. Section 100.3605 of the Florida Statutes permits municipal governments, by ordinance, to change the dates for qualifying and for election of members of the governing body of the municipality.
The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections requires at least 95 days prior to an election to have sufficient time to prepare, print, and test municipal ballots and to convert such ballots into an accessible format for persons with disabilities and has therefore requested that municipalities ensure that their candidate qualifying periods be moved to accommodate such time period.
The proposed ordinance would set the qualifying period to run from noon on November 4, 2025 to noon on November 18, 2025.
BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUIRED: NO
PUBLIC HEARING: YES QUASI-JUDICIAL: NO
FIRST READING: YES SECOND READING:
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY: YES
FISCAL IMPACT: NO
WELLINGTON FUNDAMENTAL: Responsive Government
RECOMMENDATION: Approval of Ordinance No. 2025-25 amending the qualifying period for Wellington’s March, 2026 municipal election.