Come November 2012, Hollywood residents will vote for six new city commissioners and a new mayor. All seven positions are up for re-election after this term, and in addition, new campaign policies and new city commission terms will be implemented as well.
Residents interested in running for Hollywood’s City Government must register with the City Clerk’s office by August 2011 and must reside in the district for which they will run for at least six months prior to running in order to qualify. People running for mayor need to live in Hollywood but do not need to live in a particular district. The qualifying process requires candidates to fill out a significant amount of paperwork with the Office of the City Clerk, including disclosing financial records that will be open to the public. Candidates running for city commissioner positions will pay a $1,120 nonrefundable campaign fee, while mayoral candidates pay a $1,520 nonrefundable campaign fee. Candidates must fulfill these requirements prior to accepting any in-kind donations (such as free bumper stickers from an individual supporting a particular candidate) or they will be disqualified from running.
In addition, a Campaign Finance Reform approved by Hollywood residents in the Referendum Municipal Election on Nov. 2, 2010 now prohibits corporations and other business associations from making campaign contributions; requires organizations engaged in conduct susceptible of no reasonable interpretation other than as support for or opposition to a candidate or ballot question to file campaign reports; changes the deadline for filing the final campaign report from four days to seven days preceding the election; and prohibits contributions after the seventh day preceding the election.
Hollywood residents also voted for several amendments to city commission terms and limits. First, residents approved the staggering of city commission terms. The mayor and the commissioners from even-numbered districts will be elected for four-year terms on the presidential election cycle beginning in 2012. The commissioners from odd-numbered districts will be elected for six-year terms at the presidential election in 2012 and then for four-year terms on the gubernatorial election cycle beginning in 2018. And second, residents approved the adoption of term limits. Now, a person cannot run for mayor if, by the end of the current term, the person will have served 12 consecutive years as mayor, and a person cannot run for commissioner from a particular district if, by the end of the current term, the person will have served 12 consecutive years as commissioner from that district.
As of June 21, only Mayor Peter Bober, City Commissioner Linda Sherwood and resident Kevin Biederman have registered with the City Clerk to run for office in 2012. Bober will once again run for mayor, Sherwood will run for her current District 6 position, and Biederman will run for District 5.
For more information about the 2012 Election, visit the Office of the City Clerk website at http://www.hollywoodfl.org/city_clerks/hlwd_clk.htm.
