When knocking on doors to collect thousands of signatures becomes impossible during a pandemic, what is a prospective candidate to do?

Strict qualifying deadline looms, but campaigning tough

There are two ways for a candidate to qualify for the ballot in Florida: signatures or money.

But when knocking on doors to collect thousands of signatures becomes impossible during a pandemic – and when contributions are the last thing many people can afford – what is a prospective candidate to do?

“Door to door is out of the question,” said Sergio Ortiz, a Kissimmee Republican running in Democratic U.S. Rep. Darren Soto’s district. “This is the beginning of peak season for politics, and it is all at a standstill. … Getting petitions, canvassing, fundraising and all aspects of running a campaign have been decimated.”

Campaigning had already started to slow to a halt in several municipal races in Orange County before the March 17 election, which took place at the cusp of when the coronavirus outbreak began to severely affect people’s lives.

But in the wake of social distancing, stay-at-home orders, layoffs and furloughs, the traditional ways of running for office have changed dramatically – and many wonder if it will ever return.

“It’s going to be different for quite a while,” said Leo Valentin, an Orlando Republican running for Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy’s seat. “You can’t predict it, but it’s not going to be the usual campaign season, that’s for sure.”

The April 12 deadline for elections offices to certify petitions for congressional candidates, as well as the final qualifying deadline of April 24, are both approaching fast. The deadlines for state legislative candidates comes not long after, in early June.

Orange County Democratic Chair Wes Hodge, as well as several candidates of both parties, are calling for Gov. Ron DeSantis to waive or reduce signature requirements this year so they could still have a fair shot.

“I believe the governor can make this call,” Hodge said. “I’m going to keep pushing.”

Qualifying rules

Candidates for Congress or Legislature need to gather signatures of 1% of the number of registered

voters in a district in lieu of paying either $6,960 for unaffiliated campaigns or $10,440 to qualify for the August party primary.

In 2020, candidates in Central Florida congressional districts have to gather between 4,600 and 5,000 signatures, depending on the district’s voter population, while state Senate candidates must gather more than 3,000.

For the 22 active candidates who’ve filed in seats held by Murphy and her Democratic colleagues Soto and Val Demings on the Democratic and GOP sides or as independents, running against incumbents was already a difficult task. But the outbreak has only made things worse.

“I was experiencing a surge in volunteers that would have gotten the petitions in time, if it was not for the COVID-19,” said Ortiz, running in a district that includes large parts of Osceola, Polk and Orange counties.

Ortiz, who is calling for emergency reforms such as extending the deadline, reducing the number of signatures needed and allowing voters outside a candidate’s district to sign petitions, said

the state elections office has not been helpful.

“They complained at the volume of calls from candidates seeking answers,” he said. “I understand that we are going through a crisis and we need to look after the well-being of Floridians. [But] the process of electing future representatives also has it merits, and it is vital to secure the free republic that we know.”

The elections office did not return requests for comment.

Anthony Davila, an unaffiliated candidate from Orlando also running in Soto’s District 9, said he’s stopped canvassing altogether.

“It’s too dangerous for anyone to go out and ask for signatures,” Davila said. “Lives are more important to me than the signatures I seek towards my name on the ballot petition.”

He also called for the thresholds to be waived.

“These are unique times that require unique measures,” Davila said. “I suggest leaving all current names on the ballots and let the people decide.”

‘Uncertain times’

Stephen Bacon, a DeBary councilman running as a Republican in Murphy’s district in Seminole and Orange

counties, also said the qualifying date should be postponed to “sometime after the right of assembly has been reinstated.”

But Castillo didn’t think a deadline postponement would work when no one knows when Florida will be safe from the virus.

“The uncertain times and fear of the virus may linger,” Castillo explained.

There is still the other option of paying the filing fee.

But as Republican Jose Castillo of Kissimmee points out, Florida has some of the most expensive and restrictive qualifying requirements for candidates when compared to other states.

“For example, it is more expensive to qualify for the ballot for County Commission in Orange County, $3,321.79, than it is for representative in Congress in Wyoming, Nevada, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, California and Texas,” said Castillo, who created an online petition asking DeSantis to loosen the rules.

In a time when unemployment is soaring nationwide, raising that kind of cash will be “next to impossible,” Hodge said, a sentiment some of the candidates shared.

“It would be so disrespectful to ask for financial help with a campaign when people are losing jobs,” Ortiz said. “If anything, donate to your neighbor in need. Help each other out as much as you can.”

But Bill Olson, a Polk County Republican running in Soto’s district, said while he understood the hardships of raising cash in what is probably the beginning of a recession, everyone still has to play by the same rules.

“At this time I think it will be impossible to make the petition threshold,” Olson said. “[But] I know now that I will have to pay the fee, so I have stepped up my fundraising activities. I think all candidates should do the same.”

Murphy, who just emerged from a two-week self-quarantine after possible coronavirus exposure, said her campaign is halted, too. Her only campaign email since early March was sent to educate constituents about health measures.

“There will be plenty of time to campaign later,” she said. “I owe it to my constituents to prioritize this crisis, and so we are using both our official and unofficial channels to push out information related to COVID-19.”