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HB 91FLORIDA · STATEWIDESession 2026Chapter No. 2026-25

High Impact

New Rules for Candidate Qualifications

Original title: Candidate Qualification

October 6, 2025

elections candidate requirements voter registration Florida law electors and elections

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Where This Stands

Currently Chapter No. 2026-25. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Procedural history

37 actions

Feb 26, 2026HouseEnrolled
Ordered enrolled
Feb 26, 2026House
In Messages
Feb 26, 2026Senate
Immediately certified
Feb 26, 2026SenateFloor
CS passed; YEAS 37 NAYS 0
Feb 26, 2026SenateFloor
Read 3rd time
Feb 26, 2026SenateFloor
Read 2nd time

Show 31 earlier actions

Feb 26, 2026Senate
Substituted for CS/SB 62
Feb 26, 2026Senate
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
Feb 26, 2026Senate
Withdrawn from Rules
Feb 25, 2026SenateEnrolled
Received
Feb 25, 2026SenateCommittee
Referred to Rules
Feb 25, 2026Senate
In Messages
Feb 25, 2026HouseFloor
CS passed as amended; YEAS 113, NAYS 0
Feb 25, 2026HouseFloor
Read 3rd time
Feb 25, 2026House
Added to Third Reading Calendar
Feb 25, 2026House
Amendment 384943 superseded by substitute
Feb 25, 2026House
Amendment 383023 adopted
Feb 25, 2026HouseFloor
Read 2nd time
Feb 19, 2026House
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (2/25/2026)
Feb 10, 2026House
Added to Second Reading Calendar
Feb 10, 2026House
Bill released to House Calendar
Feb 10, 2026House
Reported out of State Affairs Committee
Feb 10, 2026HouseCommittee
Favorable by State Affairs Committee
Feb 6, 2026House
Added to State Affairs Committee agenda
Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroduced
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroduced
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
Dec 12, 2025House
Now in State Affairs Committee
Dec 12, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to State Affairs Committee
Dec 11, 2025HouseIntroduced
CS Filed
Dec 11, 2025House
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
Dec 10, 2025House
Reported out of Government Operations Subcommittee
Dec 10, 2025HouseCommittee
Favorable with CS by Government Operations Subcommittee
Dec 3, 2025House
Added to Government Operations Subcommittee agenda
Oct 14, 2025House
Now in Government Operations Subcommittee
Oct 14, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to State Affairs Committee
Oct 14, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee
Oct 6, 2025HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

This law changes the eligibility requirements for anyone seeking public office in Florida, potentially dis candidates who recently switched parties or changed their names through court petitions.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Political candidates

Must meet specific 365-day registration and name-change history requirements to qualify for the ballot.

Political parties

Authorized to challenge the eligibility of opposing candidates in court based on these new requirements.

What changed

Last recorded activity October 6, 2025.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This law requires candidates to be registered with their political party or as '' for at least 365 consecutive days before they can qualify for an election. It also prohibits candidates from appearing on the ballot if they have legally changed their name via petition during that same 365-day period.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this law apply if I changed my name because I got married?

No. The restriction on name changes does not apply to changes made through marriage certificates, divorce proceedings, or child adoption.

How can someone challenge a candidate's eligibility under this law?

A qualified candidate or a political party with candidates in the same race can file a lawsuit in the circuit court where the is based.

What happens if a court finds a candidate did not meet the 365-day registration requirement?

The person may not be qualified as a candidate and their name will not appear on the ballot.

Why It Matters

This law changes the eligibility requirements for anyone seeking public office in Florida, potentially dis candidates who recently switched parties or changed their names through court petitions.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Motion succeededhouse2/26/2026Official roll call ↗

Third Reading

Total

Yes

Present

Not Voting

Abstain

How they voted (46)

+ 22 more

Motion succeededhouse2/25/2026Official roll call ↗

Passage, Third Reading

Total

203

Yes

195

Present

Not Voting

Abstain

How they voted (203)

+ 179 more

Full roll-call analysis →

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Standardization of Enforcement

The law explicitly designates the circuit court as the 'sole method' for enforcing these candidate requirements, centralizing the dispute process.

Circuit Court

Connected Entities

organizationGovernment Operations Subcommittee“A subcommittee within the Government Operations Committee that reviewed the bill”Map →

organizationState Affairs Committee“The committee responsible for the final review and approval of the bill.”Map →

bill_numberCS/SB 62“A previous version of the bill that was substituted for this bill.”Map →

organizationRules Committee“Committee responsible for scheduling bills for consideration.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance85
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy60
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz40
Current news / social attention level

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