Rooney qualifies for ballot through voter signatures

April 07, 2010

U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, no longer facing a Democratic challenger in the fall, has qualified for the ballot.

According to the state Division of Elections Web site, there were 7,913 verified signatures submitted by Rooney’s campaign from voters in Florida’s 16th District, surpassing the 5,050 needed.

Supervisors of elections in each county covered by the 16th District — Martin, St. Lucie, Palm Beach, Charlotte, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee — verify the signatures of the voters in their respective counties.

Federal candidates had until March 29 to submit petitions equal to 1 percent of the registered voters in the district.

More than half of Rooney’s signatures came from voters in Martin and St. Lucie counties.

St. Lucie County Commissioner Chris Craft, who withdrew from the race March 26, had two signatures verified by the Martin County Supervisor of Elections.

In District 15, U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, had 1,280 signatures verified by elections officials in Indian River and Polk counties. Posey submitted more than 8,000 signatures from voters in his district, which includes Indian River, Brevard, Polk and Osceola counties.

Not every candidate in the district has gone the petition route.

Candidates still can get on the Aug. 24 primary ballot and Nov. 2 general election ballot by paying a qualifying fee of $10,440 the week of April 26.