Initiative Petitions
In Florida, the required number of signatures for an initiative petition depends on the upcoming election year.
To be placed on the 2026 General Election ballot, an initiative petition needs 880,062 verified signatures. This total is calculated as eight percent of the votes cast in the last presidential election.
There is also a signature distribution requirement. Signatures must be gathered from voters in at least half of Florida’s congressional districts (currently a minimum of 14 districts). The number of signatures required from each of these districts is eight percent of the votes cast in that specific district during the last presidential election. These signatures must be verified and remain valid until the submission deadline of February 1st in the general election year.
Pursuant to Florida Statute 100.371(11)b., Madison County’s actual cost of signature verification of an initiative petition is $0.26.
Financial Information
As required by 100.371(5), Florida Statutes, each proposed constitutional amendment that is placed on the ballot by the citizen initiative process is required to include an initiative financial information statement.
The Supervisor of Elections is required to provide this information on the supervisor’s website, and list, as well, the websites for the Secretary of State and the Office of Economic and Demographic Research.