Florida Statutes

Fla. Stat. § 103.121 (2025)

Powers and duties of executive committees.

✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session

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103.121 Powers and duties of executive committees.—

(1)(a) Each state and county executive committee of a political party shall have the power and duty:

1. To adopt a constitution by two-thirds vote of the full committee.

2. To adopt such bylaws as it may deem necessary by majority vote of the full committee.

3. To conduct its meetings according to generally accepted parliamentary practice.

4. To make party nomination when required by law.

5. To conduct campaigns for party nominees.

6. To raise and expend party funds. Such funds may not be expended or committed to be expended except after written authorization by the chair of the state or county executive committee.

(b) The county executive committee shall receive payment of assessments upon candidates to be voted for in a single county except state senators, state representatives, and representatives to the Congress of the United States; an affiliated party committee controlled by a leader of the Senate as defined in s. 103.092 shall receive payment of assessments upon candidates for the office of state senator, and an affiliated party committee controlled by a leader of the House of Representatives as defined in s. 103.092 shall receive payment of assessments upon candidates for the office of state representative; and the state executive committees shall receive all other assessments authorized. All party assessments shall be 2 percent of the annual salary of the office sought by the respective candidate. All such committee assessments shall be remitted to the state executive committee of the appropriate party and distributed in accordance with subsection (5), except that assessments for candidates for the office of state senator or state representative shall be remitted to the appropriate affiliated party committee.

(2) The chair and treasurer of an executive committee of any political party shall be accountable for the funds of such committee and jointly liable for their proper expenditure for authorized purposes only. The funds of each such state executive committee shall be publicly audited at the end of each calendar year and a copy of such audit furnished to the Department of State for its examination prior to April 1 of the ensuing year. When filed with the Department of State, copies of such audit shall be public documents. The treasurer of each county executive committee shall maintain adequate records evidencing receipt and disbursement of all party funds received by him or her, and such records shall be publicly audited at the end of each calendar year and a copy of such audit filed with the supervisor of elections and the state executive committee prior to April 1 of the ensuing year.

(3) Any chair or treasurer of a state or county executive committee of any political party who knowingly misappropriates, or makes an unlawful expenditure of, or a false or improper accounting for, the funds of such committee is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(4) The central committee or other equivalent governing body of each state executive committee shall adopt a rule which governs the time and manner in which the respective county executive committees of such party may endorse, certify, screen, or otherwise recommend one or more candidates for such party’s nomination for election. Upon adoption, such rule shall provide the exclusive method by which a county committee may so endorse, certify, screen, or otherwise recommend. No later than the date on which qualifying for public office begins pursuant to s. 99.061, the chair of each county executive committee shall notify in writing the supervisor of elections of his or her county whether the county executive committee has endorsed or intends to endorse, certify, screen, or otherwise recommend candidates for nomination pursuant to party rule. A copy of such notification shall be provided to the Secretary of State and to the chair of the appropriate state executive committee.

(5) The state chair of each state executive committee shall return the 2-percent committee assessment for county candidates to the appropriate county executive committees only upon receipt of a written statement that such county executive committee chooses not to endorse, certify, screen, or otherwise recommend one or more candidates for such party’s nomination for election and upon the state chair’s determination that the county executive committee is in compliance with all Florida statutes and all state party rules, bylaws, constitutions, and requirements.

History.—ss. 20, 21, 23, 28, ch. 6469, 1913; RGS 324, 325, 327, 332; CGL 381, 382, 384, 389; s. 1, ch. 25389, 1949; s. 9, ch. 26329, 1949; s. 7, ch. 26870, 1951; s. 41, ch. 28156, 1953; s. 2, ch. 29935, 1955; s. 1, ch. 57-743; s. 1, ch. 61-157; s. 1, ch. 63-97; ss. 6, 7, 8, ch. 67-353; ss. 10, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 26, ch. 77-104; s. 32, ch. 77-175; s. 50, ch. 79-400; s. 1, ch. 82-160; s. 25, ch. 83-217; s. 2, ch. 83-242; s. 1, ch. 89-256; s. 609, ch. 95-147; s. 64, ch. 2005-277; ss. 3, 30, ch. 2011-6; HJR 7105, 2011 Regular Session.

Note.—Former ss. 102.27, 102.28, 102.30, 102.35.

Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 103.121

M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd

§103.121(3)ELECTION LAWSIMPROPER ACCOUNTING BY POLITICAL COMMITTEEF · 3rd

§103.121(4)EMBEZZLERENUMBERED SEE REC#5971F · 3rd

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 9 cases, 1952–1998 · leading case: Socialist Workers Party v. Leahy, 145 F.3d 1240 (11th Cir. 1998).

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Socialist Workers Party v. Leahy, 145 F.3d 1240 (11th Cir. 1998). · cites it 2× “Section 103.121(3) Florida Statutes, provides that the chairman and treasurer of an executive committee of any political party must provide adequate bond, not less than ,000 to be filed with the Department of State.”

Socialist Workers Party v. Leahy, 957 F. Supp. 1262 (S.D. Fla. 1997). · cites it 4× “The evidence before this Court remains uncontroverted; there is no evidence that any “political party has ever been denied ballot access in this state because of said party failing to post a bond as required by Section 103.121, Florida Statutes.” Affidavit of Dorothy W.”

Norman E. Wymbs & Ann R. Cassady v. Repub. State Exec. Comm. of Florida, 719 F.2d 1072 (11th Cir. 1983). “See Fla.Stat. Ann. § 103.121 (1982). The Committee answered Wymbs’ complaint, however, without qualification, and therefore we do not pursue this issue.”

Alexander v. Booth, 56 So. 2d 716 (Fla. 1952). “See Subsection 7 of Section 103.121, F.S.A. Not only in the State of Florida, but throughout other states of the Union by "custom and practice" party Executive Committees have exercised the power to elect, or select Delegates to the National Convention, when the subject matter…”

Slaughter v. State ex rel. Harrell, 245 So. 2d 126 (Fla. 1st DCA 1971). · cites it 3× “provides in part: “A candidate for nomination for any office is required to pay to the officer with whom he qualified a filing fee and attach the original or signed duplicate of the receipt for his party assessment or pay the same, in accordance with the provisions of § 103.121,…”

Socialist Workers Party v. Leahy, 927 F. Supp. 1554 (S.D. Fla. 1996). · cites it 4× “Neither the state nor Dade County has taken any action against either party for failure to comply with the statute and neither has any intention of enforcing it in the future.”

Vicory v. Democratic State Exec. Comm., 45 Fla. Supp. 2d 176 (Fla. Cir. Ct. 1991). · cites it 5× “FINAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT Plaintiff, Marion William “Bill” Vicory, seeks summary judgment on *177 his claim that the Defendants, 1 acting individually or in concert, have violated Florida Statute § 103.121(5)(b) (1989). Initially, Vicory sought various forms of judicial relief, 2…”

Shelly v. Brewer, 68 So. 2d 573 (Fla. 1953). “The bill then quotes from Section 103.121 F.S., F.S.A., and alleges that pursuant to said section the Dade County Republican Executive Committee, at a call meeting, adopted a constitution and by-laws by more than two-thirds vote to govern such Committee; that subsequent thereto…”

— 103.121(1) — 1 case

Slaughter v. State ex rel. Harrell, 245 So. 2d 126 (Fla. 1st DCA 1971). “provides in part: “A candidate for nomination for any office is required to pay to the officer with whom he qualified a filing fee and attach the original or signed duplicate of the receipt for his party assessment or pay the same, in accordance with the provisions of § 103.121,…”

— 103.121(3) — 4 cases

Socialist Workers Party v. Leahy, 145 F.3d 1240 (11th Cir. 1998). “Section 103.121(3) Florida Statutes, provides that the chairman and treasurer of an executive committee of any political party must provide adequate bond, not less than ,000 to be filed with the Department of State.”

Socialist Workers Party v. Leahy, 957 F. Supp. 1262 (S.D. Fla. 1997). “The evidence before this Court remains uncontroverted; there is no evidence that any “political party has ever been denied ballot access in this state because of said party failing to post a bond as required by Section 103.121, Florida Statutes.” Affidavit of Dorothy W.”

Socialist Workers Party v. Leahy, 927 F. Supp. 1554 (S.D. Fla. 1996). “Neither the state nor Dade County has taken any action against either party for failure to comply with the statute and neither has any intention of enforcing it in the future.”

— 103.121(5)(b) — 1 case

Vicory v. Democratic State Exec. Comm., 45 Fla. Supp. 2d 176 (Fla. Cir. Ct. 1991). “FINAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT Plaintiff, Marion William “Bill” Vicory, seeks summary judgment on *177 his claim that the Defendants, 1 acting individually or in concert, have violated Florida Statute § 103.121(5)(b) (1989). Initially, Vicory sought various forms of judicial relief, 2…”

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