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Ocala schedules Sept. 16 special election after seven candidates' qualifying checks found noncompliant
Summary
City attorney told council seven candidates failed to meet Florida statutory requirements for payment of qualifying fees; council approved a special election schedule with a short qualification window and the mayor issued a proclamation calling the election for Sept. 16, 2025.
City Council members in Ocala voted to set a special election for Sept. 16, 2025, after city staff and the Marion County Supervisor of Elections determined seven candidates had not complied with Florida rules for paying qualifying fees.
City Attorney Will told the council the city and the county supervisor reviewed the seven submitted checks and concluded they did not meet the requirements of Section 99.061, Florida Statutes, and Section 106.11, Florida Statutes. Will said that determination meant “no candidate qualified for the 4 seats that are up for election,” and recommended the council authorize a special election timetable and qualification procedures to meet the supervisor’s deadlines.
The mayor issued a proclamation the next day, and the council approved a qualifications period starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 16, 2025, and ending at noon Friday, July 18, 2025. Will and City Clerk Jacobs told council the abbreviated window was necessary to meet the supervisor of elections’ schedule for printing and mailing ballots while still seating officials on the first Tuesday in December as the city charter requires.
During public comment, resident Mark Clark warned that several candidates and some council members had filed qualifying paperwork and asked whether those members should recuse themselves from the vote to set the special election timeline. Will advised the council that, based on his review and the Florida ethics code provision he cited during the meeting, the qualifications-period vote did not require recusal by council members who might later qualify as candidates.
Council members unanimously approved the motion to adopt the qualifying procedures and schedule. The city clerk and city attorney said staff would be available to assist candidates and answer questions during the short qualification period.
The council did not adopt any change to qualification standards; staff said the same fees, petitions and criteria required for the regular general election will apply to the special election. The city also said it had coordinated with the Marion County Supervisor of Elections on dates and timelines.
The city attorney and clerk said they had telephoned the seven affected candidates the day the problem was discovered to explain the determination and next steps. The proclamation calling the special election was issued July 14, 2025, and the council approved the qualification window on July 15, 2025.
