Election and Campaign Law

The Woodring Law Firm handles election law and campaign related cases. Mr. Woodring has been engaged in this area of the law since he participated in many of the Bush v. Gore election cases in state and federal court during the 2000 election.

If you are a candidate for elected office, or if you are the proposer of a ballot initiative, or if you want to establish a 527 to promote or oppose a candidate or an issue, we can help you comply with the requirements of the Florida Division of Elections, the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If you are considering proposing a ballot initiative, we can also help you with drafting the ballot initiative to maximize the chances of passing Florida Supreme Court review, and defending that draft at the Florida Supreme Court so it has a chance of appearing on the ballot. We also represent parties that may have cause to oppose a proposed ballot initiative, or to oppose the qualifications or campaign conduct of a candidate.

You should seek legal counsel if a complaint has been filed against you with the Florida Elections Commission alleging any violation of Chapters 104, 106, or Section 105.071, Florida Statutes, or by the Federal Election Commission. If a final order has already been entered against you from the FEC or the Florida Elections Commission, we can provide counsel on whether you have grounds to and should appeal.

As in other areas of the law, it is often easier to ask for advice before you take action, then it is to seek advice after the action is completed. Campaigns and elections are by their very nature competitions. Your opponents will often seek to take advantage of any errors or perceived errors in complying with campaign laws, and will then seek to use these against you in the very substance of the campaign itself.

Please contact us if you need counsel on an election or campaign law issue, or need to defend against a complaint filed with the Florida Elections Commission or the Federal Election Commission.