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Affidavit for Use of Nickname on Ballot ell
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AFFIDAVIT OF LCL Fe�t Cr(�Il�[s cre recSG�7
STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF f lA t CAu\ 90V1e-V
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BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, personally appeared (.y�l LL ), who
being first duly sworn or placed under affirmation, says:
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1. My legal name is . t lxbkl{v\ l << L I am over the ace of eiehteen (18) and
the contents of this affidavit are true and correct.
2. 1 am candidate for the office of
3. My nickname is 'jUv\(O✓ 1 am generally known by this nickname
I have not created the nickname to mislead voters. I plan to
designate this nickname on my candidate oath as the name I wish to have printed on the ballot when I
submit the candidate oath form during the qualifying period for the above office.
4. Attached are ( O ) documents that show that my nickname is one by which I am generally
known or is one that I have used as part of my legal name:
( IM.t .Ca{ikeA kAa5 eA �,14W / 5IW1((a\r lAame- CbavN12u 4cyw44Vn
(7j((frtcnt5i 1 ao 'v\v ITLMu av- (acd«v 4.,d 11OcVCK-� CcxnAAI?VJA
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Furtherr,, affiant sayeth not.
Signatuvof Affiant v
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Printed/Typed Name of Affiant I
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Sworn to and subscribed before me this &7day of fi I t Lts i 20 21- by
( Dam ievt 1-te. (7i idrnsi.
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Printed Name
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Personally known !/ or
Type of Identification Produced
DE 86-06 - May 1,1986
Ballot Name;
Use of Nickname
Section 99.021, Florida Statutes
To: Honorable Ann Robinson, Supervisor of Elections, Indian River County, 1840 - 25th Street, Suite
N-109, Vero Beach, Florida 32960-3394
Prepared by: Division of Elections
This is in response to your request for an advisory opinion pursuant to Section 106.23(2), Florida
Statutes, regarding the use by a candidate as defined by the Florida Election Code, Chapters 97-106,
Florida Statutes, of his or her proper name or nickname for appearance on the ballot.
Section 99.021, Florida Statutes, requires each candidate to include in his or her oath of candidacy the
name as the candidate wishes it to appear on the ballot and directs certification of the name by the
qualifying officer to the appropriate supervisor of elections so that the name may thus be printed on
the ballot. Under common law principles, not abrogated by Florida law, a name consists of one
Christian or given name and one surname, patronymic or family name; therefore, the name printed on
the ballot ordinarily should be the Christian or given name and surname, 29 C.J.S. Elections § 161. In
Florida, a person's legal name is his Christian or given name and family surname, Carlton vs. Phalan,
100 Fla. 1164, 131 So. 117 (1930).
However, it has been determined that any name by which a candidate is known is sufficient on a
ballot, and a person is legally permitted to have printed on the ballot the name which the candidate has
adopted and under which he or she transacts private and official business, 29 C.J.S. Elections § 161.
With regard to the use of nicknames, the Florida Attorney General determined many years ago that
there appears to be no objection to including the nickname of a candidate by which he or she is
generally known, along with the candidate's name, on the ballot.
Descriptive information such as a title (for example, Dr. or M.D.), although not part of a person's
name, is permissible only when two persons of the same name or whose names are so similar as to
reasonably cause confusion, seek the same office. See State vs. Murphy, 122 Ohio St. 620, 174 N.E.
252 (1930).
Election officials, however, may be justified in refusing to print on the ballot a candidate's nickname
when it is not shown that the nickname ever was used by the candidate as part of his legal name, and
such officials may be equally justified in refusing to print on the ballot a candidate's choice of a name
which has not been adopted by him or her and under which the candidate has not transacted private
and official business. See C.J.S. Elections § 161.
In summary, ordinarily a candidate must use his or her Christian or given name and surname, unless it
can be shown that the candidate is known by another name which he or she has adopted and under
which he or she transacts private and official business. In addition, a candidate may use a legitimate
nickname and, where confusion would result, the candidate may use a descriptive designation.