State of Florida
THE STATE OF FLORIDA
The
State of Florida Government is divided into three
departments.
The Governor and Lieutenant
Governor are elected as a
team, on a partisan ballot, for a term of four years.
They may be reelected once.
A Cabinet consists of six
members who are elected for terms of four years with a limit of two terms.
Each Cabinet officer’s vote is equal to the Governor’s.
Additionally, the Governor and all Cabinet members serve on several
ex officio boards.
With the election in 2002, taking office in 2003, the Cabinet will have three members: The Attorney General, the Commissioner of Agriculture and the Chief Financial Officer. The latter combines the Treasurer, the Controller and Insurance Commissioner into one. The Governor will appoint the Education Commissioner.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Florida State Legislature is made
up of two houses:
Senate
The Senate has 40 members apportioned according to population with
members being elected by the voters from the districts they represent.
Their terms are four years with half being elected every two years
and a limit of two terms.
House of
Representatives
The House of Representatives has 120 members apportioned according to
population with members being elected by the voters from the districts
they represent. They are
elected for two-year terms with a limit of four terms.
The Legislature meets every year on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March for a regular session which is limited to 60 consecutive days, including Saturdays and Sundays. Special sessions may be called by the Governor or by a joint proclamation of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House. The Legislature may call itself into session by the petition of three-fifths of the members of each house. Special sessions are limited to the purpose for which they are called unless two-thirds of the membership agrees to consider other matters. Twenty days is the maximum designated time of such special sessions, except if apportionment is the subject, in which case 30 days are allowed.
JUDICIAL
BRANCH
State of Florida– Supreme Court
Seven appointed justices choose their
own chief justice from their ranks. By
tradition, the chief justice serves for two years.
The term for a justice is six years at which time her/his name will
be placed on the ballot for merit retention.
District Courts of Appeal
Florida has five districts; Palm Beach
County is in the Fourth District Court of Appeal, which also hears cases
from Broward and four other counties.
These judges are appointed for six-year terms at which time their
names are placed on the ballot for merit retention.
Judicial Nominating Commissions
There are separate judicial
nominating commissions for the Supreme Court, each district court of
appeal and, each judicial circuit. Each
commission has nine members, serving staggered four-year terms.
When a judicial vacancy occurs, the appropriate nominating
commission solicits applications from qualified persons.
The commission then certifies names of three or more of those most
qualified to the governor, who then chooses one for the appointment.
Trial Court Judges
These judges are elected on a nonpartisan ballot.
Florida Government
Pages
Click here to link to the Florida Government's Web pages: