Special Election Set for Fasano's House Seat

Think you have what it takes to be a state lawmaker?

Your chance to prove it is on the horizon.

Officials have scheduled a special election at which residents will be able to vote someone into the District 36 seat of the Florida House of
Representatives, which represents West Pasco from the Gulf to County Toad 1 and from the southern border of Holiday to the Pasco- Hernando line.  

The person voted in will be replacing longtime lawmaker Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, who was appointed as Pasco’s Tax Collector on Aug. 7.

The primary is set for Sept. 17 and the Special Election is set for Oct. 15.

Bill Gunter, volunteer chaplain for the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, has put his name in the running, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Candidates running need to pay a fee or get 253 petition signatures to qualify for a spot on the ballot.  Petitions must be submitted to Supervisor of Elections by 5 p.m., Aug. 22 and the Florida Division of Elections by 5 p.m., Aug. 23. 

The period to submit qualifying documents is from 8 a.m. Aug. 26 to 12 p.m. Aug. 27.

The fees are $1,781.82 for a partisan candidate and $1,187.88 or someone running with no party affiliation.

The deadline to register to vote in the primary is Aug. 19. The deadline to register to vote in the special election is Sept. 16.

Find out how to register to run at the Pasco Supervisor of Election’s website.