Candidates can avoid paying the fee by distributing petition cards to 1 percent of the 27,235 registered voters in Levy County or about 273 voters. Each voter must fill out and sign the form.

Candidates are generally advised to obtain more signed petition cards than they need in case some of the cards are declared invalid by the supervisor of elections.

The deadline to file the petitions is May 21. The petitions used for the process of qualifying for public office must be picked up at the Levy County Supervisor of Elections office next to the courthouse in Bronson. The petitions must be turned in at the same location by the deadline.

None of the school board Levy County School board members have opposition thus far. District 1 School Board member Cameron Asbell is using the petition method to qualify.

District 3 School Board Member Brad Etheridge and District 5 School Board member Rick Turner have not turned in petitions, but they have time to secure the petitions or they could qualify by paying the fee.

The qualifying fee for major party candidates is 6 percent of their annual salary, although school board members must run on a non-partisan basis.

Those who have established a campaign bank account and registered as candidates to date are:

County Judge Tim Browning, who is unopposed;

County Commissioner Rock Meeks from District 3 opposed by Terrance Reed;

County Commissioner Lilly Rooks from District 4 opposed Ryan Bell and Nathan Foote; and

District 1 School Board member Cameron Asbell.
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Annual Salary for Levy Board of County Commissioner: $35,310
Annual Salary for Levy School Board Members: $27,310

Posted April 22, 2018