How to Run for City Council

The Charter of the City of Marco Island established a Council-Manager form of government.  The seven-member City Council is the legislative body of the City and is responsible for setting municipal policy, including the passage of laws and the annual budget.  The City Council hires a City Manager to conduct the City's daily business and a City Attorney to protect the legal interests and assets of the City.

The City Council consists of seven members who are elected at large by the voters.

City Council meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month at 5:30 p.m. The meeting schedule is usually adjusted in September to accommodate the budget public hearings and in July and December for summer and holiday travel.

The Council elects a Chair and Vice-Chair to serve for a term of one year, at the first meeting following the Council election and the annual anniversary thereafter.

The salary of each Council Member is $6,000 per year; the salary of the Chair is $9,000 per year.

QUALIFYING FOR THE 2024 CITY COUNCIL ELECTION   

Qualifying begins at 8:00 a.m. on July 16, 2024, and ends at 5:00 p.m. on July 30, 2024

Each municipality in Florida has its own charter which governs the requirements for becoming a candidate. Prospective candidates are encouraged to consult with the Marco Island City Clerk well in advance of the qualifying dates to learn about those requirements. For your convenience, the Marco Island City Clerk's office has compiled  documents and instructions on this website, to run as a candidate for the City Council .  The City Clerk's office can also provide Candidate Information Packet in paper form, if requested. To obtain a Candidate Information Packet, call the City Clerk's office at (239) 389-5010 or stop by the office at Marco Island City Hall, 50 Bald Eagle Dr., (Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.)

Paperwork

1.  File Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository (DS-DE 9)

File form DS-DE 9, Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository for Candidates (F.S. 106.021(1)(a) and F.S. 106.021 (1)(b)).  A candidate can appoint a campaign treasurer and designate a campaign depository at any time, but no later than the date the candidate qualifies for office, and before any contributions are received, any expenditures are made, and any signatures are obtained on a candidate petition.  Nothing prohibits a person from announcing their intention to become a candidate prior to filing Form DS-DE9, as long as no contributions are received, no expenditures are made and no signatures are obtained on a candidate petition.  

Form DS-DE 9:

• Shall be filed with the filing officer (the City of Marco Island City Clerk) prior to opening the campaign account. 
• Is not effective until the campaign treasurer signs it and it is filed with the filing officer. 
• Is considered "filed" only when the filing officer receives the form, not upon mailing. 
• Shall be on file with the filing officer prior to the candidate accepting any contributions or making any expenditures or authorizing another to accept contribution or make expenditures on the person's behalf.
• Shall be on file with the filing officer prior to obtaining signatures on a Petition. 

Link to: Form DS DE 9

Petitions

2. After providing the City Clerk with the Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository (DS-DE 9), candidate will collect and submit petitions on the Nonpartisan Candidates (DS-DE 104) form. 

The City Clerk advises candidates to collect & submit petitions for verification as early as possible.  

Per Section 99.097, F.S. and R​ule 15-2.045, all completed forms must be in to the Supervisors of Elections for verification by June 18, 2024, at NOON (28 days before the first day of qualifying for office).  As a courtesy, if you would like assistance from the City Clerk, all completed petitions must be submitted to the City Clerk before noon on Monday, June 17th.   ​​​​​

City Council candidates must collect petitions signed by 1% of the electors of the City at the last general election.  The number of valid petitions required will be  1% of 14,275  registered voters (143 signatures). The petitions may not be circulated prior filing the Appointment of Campaign Treasurer and Designation of Campaign Depository (DS-DE 9).

The City Clerk recommends that candidates type in as much of the required information on the form so the petition is legible for verification. 

Additionally, the City Clerk recommends that candidates should secure an additional 10% of signed petitions, beyond the required 143 signatures, to accommodate for errors.

Link to: FORM DS DE 104

Checklist used for Candidate Petition Validation/ Signature Verification:  Link to: Checklist - Candidate Petition Validation

To Qualify as a Candidate

To become a qualified candidate, you must be a "filed candidate" and complete the following:

3.  File Statement of Candidate (DS-DE 84) within 10 days of filing the Form DS-DE 9 (F.S. 106.023).  By filing this form, the candidate acknowledges they have been provided access to read and understand the requirement of Chapter 106, F.S.  (Click here for Chapter 106, F.S.)

Link to: Form DS DE 84

4.  File Candidate Oath (DS-DE 302NP)

Link to: DS DE 302 NP

5. Form 6 

Form 6 is a financial disclosure that is required of public officials and employees.    The purpose is for the public to evaluate potential conflicts of interest and increase public confidence in government. 

All elected state and local public officers are required to file a financial disclosure form and some appointed board members also must file. 

If you are not currently an elected official AND do not hold another position requiring financial disclosure, you will need to request an account on the Florida Commission on Ethics Website https://disclosure.floridaethics.gov/Account/Login and click on "I am a Candidate".  Please provide a copy of the receipt to the City Clerk along with the completed DS-DE 84 and the DS-DE 302 NP. 

For officials currently in office,  Form 6 financial disclosure must be submitted according to the State's defined reporting deadline, July 1, 2024, and up to end of qualifying July 30, 2024.

Form 6 financial disclosure is manged by and submitted electronically to the Florida Commission on Ethics.  Florida Commission on Ethics will not accept paper submissions.   Candidates currently holding office must register on the Florida Commission on Ethics Website https://disclosure.floridaethics.gov/Account/Login and click on "I am a Filer" .

See the below document for Best practices for filing Form 6 Public Disclosure of Financial Interest form

Payment

Candidates must pay an election assessment fee equal to 1% of the annual salary of the office sought ($60) and $0.10 per petition for verification of a minimal of 143 petitions ($14.30).The amount of $74.30 must be paid by the candidate by a check drawn on the campaign account and provided along with the petitions.(Make the check payable to the City of Marco Island.)

***You will receive notification from the Supervisor of Elections as to whether you have achieved ballot position***

Canvassing Board Dates

Below (in Supporting Documents) are the dates provided by the Collier County Canvassing Board for each of the Elections.  Also included is a list of the Canvassing Board Members.