(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.

Terms Used In Florida Statutes 582.18

  • Department: means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. See Florida Statutes 582.01
  • district: when used in this chapter means and includes a "soil and water conservation district. See Florida Statutes 582.01
  • soil and water conservation district: means a governmental subdivision of this state and a body corporate and politic, organized in accordance with the provisions of this chapter for the purpose, with the powers, and subject to the provisions set forth in this chapter. See Florida Statutes 582.01
  • Supervisor: means a member of the governing body of a district who is elected in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. See Florida Statutes 582.01
(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.
(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.