Florida currently has the highest filing fees of any state. The current law requires the filing fee itself to be 3% of the annual salary of the office; in addition there is a “election asessment” of another 1%; and if the candidate is seeking a party nomination, still another fee of 2% called the “party assessment”. That totals 6% for candidates seeking to run with a party label. No other state has a fee above 2%, except Georgia requires 3%.

Governor Ron DeSantis has submitted a list of proposed election law changes, including lowering the fee itself from 3% to 1%, and also lowering the party assessment from 2% to 1%. The Governor does not propose changing the “election assessment” fee. So the total fee would drop from 6% to 3%.

His idea also includes making it far more difficult to petition for an initiative. Signers would need to visit and election office, or rqeuest a blank petition form, in order to sign a petition.