Fla. Stat. § 99.0215

This is the official text of Fla. Stat. § 99.0215, part of Florida’s Stat — part of the compiled statutory law of Florida, published by the state as "Stat." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

99.0215 Name of candidate.

Official statutory text

(1) Each candidate shall designate in the oath or affirmation specified in s. 99.021 the name that he or she wishes to have printed on the ballot, or, in the case of a write-in candidate, the name that he or she wishes to have voters write in on the ballot when voting for him or her. Such designation must include the candidate’s legal given name or names, a shortened form of the candidate’s legal given name or names, an initial or initials of the candidate’s legal given name or names, or a bona fide nickname customarily related to the candidate and by which the candidate is commonly known, immediately followed by the candidate’s legal surname. If applicable, a candidate may place one of the following designations after the legal surname: “Sr.,” “Jr.,” or a numerical designation such as “II.”

(2) If a candidate wishes to designate a nickname, the candidate must file an affidavit that must be verified under oath or affirmation pursuant to s. 92.525(1)(a), attesting that the nickname complies with the requirements of this section. The affidavit must be filed simultaneously with the oath or affirmation specified in s. 99.021. Any nickname designated by a candidate may not be used to mislead voters. A candidate may not designate a nickname that implies the candidate is some other person, that constitutes a political slogan or otherwise associates the candidate with a cause or an issue, or that is obscene or profane. For purposes of this subsection, the term “political slogan” means any word or words expressing or connoting a position, an opinion, or a belief that the candidate may espouse, including, but not limited to, any word or words conveying any meaning other than that of the general identity of the candidate.

(3) Unless a candidate has the same name as, or a name similar to, one or more candidates for the same office, an educational or professional title or degree may not be added to his or her name designation.

History: s. 16, ch. 2023-120.

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

Need a lawyer in Florida?

Find a Florida lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.