NOTICE OF COMMISSION ELECTION CITY OF LAKE WALES, FLORIDA NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR THE CITY OF LAKE WALES WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2025 TO ELECT A MAYOR FOR SEAT 1 (AT-LARGE) ON THE CITY COMMISSION.
THE REGULAR ELECTION OF CITY COMMISSION MEMBERS SHALL BE HELD IN THE MANNER PROVIDED IN THE CITY CHARTER AND THE LAKE WALES MUNICIPAL ELECTION CODE. THE PERSON ELECTED FOR SEAT 1 SHALL SERVE A TERM OF THREE (3) YEARS. QUALIFYING PERIOD The period to qualify for election to Seat 1 begins at 12:00 noon, Monday, February 10, 2025 and ends at 12:00 noon, Friday, February 14, 2025 in the City Clerk’s Office at the City Administration Building, 201 W. Central Ave, Lake Wales. Candidate packets will be available in the City Clerk’s Office beginning 9:00 a.m. on Friday, January 31, 2025.
PROCEDURE FOR QUALIFYING QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE Members of the City Commission must be registered voters and a resident of the City of Lake Wales for at least one year preceding their date of election. The Mayor elected to Seat 1 must reside within City limits.
CAMPAIGN FINANCES Any candidate seeking to qualify for election must appoint a campaign treasurer and designate a campaign depository on or before the date obtaining petition signatures. Petition signatures obtained prior to this date will be disqualified. All Forms will be furnished by the City Clerk.
PETITIONS Candidates for election to the City Commission must be nominated by petition. Any registered voter of the district shall be nominated for election by petition designating the commission seat to which they seek election. Each candidate must obtain 25 qualified signatures from registered voters nominating them to the seat. Official petitions are furnished by the City Clerk.
FILING AND ACCEPTANCE All qualifying documents including nominating petitions must be assembled and filed with the City Clerk as one instrument not before 12:00 noon on Monday, February 10, 2025 nor after 12:00 noon on Friday, February 14, 2025 during the qualifying period. At the time of filing, persons seeking to qualify as a candidate for a commission seat is required to submit a payment of a twenty-five dollar ($25.00) city qualifying fee and one hundred and thirty-six dollars and eight cents ($136.08) (1% of annual salary) state election assessment for remittance to the Florida Department of State and deposit in the Elections Commission Trust Fund. For additional information, please contact City Clerk Jennifer Nanek at 863-678-4182, ext. 1254 or in person at 201 West Central Avenue, Lake Wales, FL 33853. Contact the Supervisor of Elections at 863-534-5888 to request a Vote-By-Mail ballot. Voter registration deadline is March 3, 2025.