Florida · statute · Fla. Stat. ch. 138 · 11 active provisions
The qualified electors in any county in this state wishing to change their county seat, shall present to the board of county commissioners of such county a petition signed by one-third of the qualified electors, who are taxpayers on real or personal property, praying for a change of the location of such county seat.
The county commissioners of any county in this state, upon receiving such petition as is specified in s. 138.01 shall order an election to be held at the several precincts of such county for the location of such county seat, giving not less than 30 days’ notice thereof, and no person shall be allowed to vote in such el…
All elections held under the provisions of this chapter shall be conducted in the manner prescribed by law for holding general elections in this state, except as herein provided, and the returns of all such elections shall be made to the county commissioners or the clerk thereof.
Names of all towns, villages or cities, put forward as candidates for the county seat of any county in this state under the provisions of this chapter shall be filed with the clerk of the circuit court of such county not later than 15 days before the date set for holding said election.
The clerk of the circuit court of any county in this state, when the names of the towns, villages, and cities required in s. 138.04 have been furnished him or her, shall have printed, at the expense of the county, a suitable ballot to be used in the election, the ballot to contain, in alphabetical order, the names of a…
The county commissioners shall, not later than 5 days after the aforesaid election is held, publicly canvass the same, and the place receiving a majority of all the votes cast shall be the county seat for the next 10 years. The result declared upon such canvass may be contested by five or more taxpayers, qualified elec…
Should three or more places be put forward and voted for as the county seat of any county in this state, and the county commissioners of such county find that upon the canvass of the said election, as provided for in s. 138.06, that any of such places have received a majority of all the votes cast at said election, the…
Should the second election, as provided for in s. 138.07, be necessary to select the place as county seat of any county in this state, the clerk of the circuit court shall prepare the ballot as aforesaid, dropping the names or name of all places voted for in the first election except the two places receiving the highes…
The county commissioners shall, within 5 days after the election provided for in s. 138.07 is held, meet and publicly canvass the same; and the place receiving the majority of all the votes cast shall be the county seat for the next 10 years. The county commissioners shall erect a courthouse as soon as possible and pro…
Any person using money, goods or chattels in any election to change the county seat of any county, to secure votes or influence for any place as the county seat of any county in this state, shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
The board of county commissioners of any county may expand the geographical area of the county seat of its county beyond the corporate limits of the municipality named as the county seat by adopting a resolution to that effect at any regular or special meeting of the board. Such a resolution may be adopted only after t…