At least four local candidates have secured spots on the 2010 ballot by collecting signatures rather than paying a filing fee.

Democratic Palm Beach County Commissioners Jess Santamaria and Priscilla Taylor and state House candidates Tami Donnally (R) and Lori Berman (D) turned in valid signatures from at least 1 percent of voters in their districts to qualify for the ballot.

The deadline to turn in signatures was noon Monday. Elections staffers are still checking on petitions submitted by five other candidates: Democratic county commission hopeful Michael E. Jackson, state Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, and state House candidates Mark Marciano, Francisco Rodriguez and Bill Hager.

The period for state and county candidates to submit final paperwork and filing fees to qualify for the 2010 ballot is June 14-18.

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Democrats have long touted House Majority Leader Adam Hasner’s Palm Beach-Broward seat as a pickup opportunity when Hasner leaves this year because of term limits. Republicans have roughly a 39-to-35 percent registration edge in District 87 and have been losing ground over the past eight years.

But Democratic hopes suffered a blow in January when candidate Lori Berman, who had raised more money than Republican Bill Hager, quit the race to run in more heavily Democratic District 86.

Now Dems have recruited retired construction manager Laura Rawlins-Blum of Boca Raton to run in District 87. Rawlins-Blum, active in the Palm Beach County Democratic Executive Committee, was encouraged to run by Dems including former League of Women Voters President Pamela Goodman. Goodman, who had been urged by some Democrats to run for the seat, will host a kickoff fund-raiser for Rawlins-Blum.

Republican former Boca Raton councilman Bill Hager — whose $50,670 in spending is tops for all non-incumbent state House candidates in Florida — is without an opponent in his race for the seat of term-limited Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton.

Democrat Lori Berman, who out-raised Hager in 2009, dropped out of the District 87 race last week and switched to more Democrat-friendly District 86. District 86 is where Rep. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, plans to leave to run for state Senate as part of a massive shuffle being guided by the former Robert Wexler political machine.

Sachs is banking on state Sen. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, winning a Feb. 2 primary and April 13 special election to replace Wexler, who retired this month to head a Middle East think tank. Deutch, Sachs and Berman have all been endorsed by Wexler and helped by his former consultant, Eric Johnson.

With Berman leaving the District 87 race, insurance agency owner Len Turesky, a Democrat, is considering running against Hager. Turesky plans to meet with Johnson and others to discuss the race.

In a state House race that has attracted attention from legislative leaders of both parties, Democrat Lori Berman holds an early money-raising lead over Republican Bill Hager in state House District 87, where House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton, is leaving because of term limits.

Berman raised $21,643 between July 1 and Sept. 30 for a total of $52,818. Hager raised $12,575 during the quarter for a total of $38,575 in contributions. He’s also kicked in $14,500 of his own money.

Hager has already spent $35,306 on the race, according to his report, while Berman has spent $4,501.

The Palm Beach-Broward seat was considered safe GOP turf with Hasner running. But Republicans only held a 38.9-to-35.4 percent voter registration edge in 2008, giving Dems optimism for next year when Hasner won’t be on the ballot. House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands of Weston and 2010-12 Dem leader designate Ron Saunders of Key West have helped Berman raise money while Republican 2010-12 Speaker designate Dean Cannon of Orlando has helped Hager raise campaign cash.

With state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton, term-limited in 2010, Democrats are making a serious play for his District 87 seat. The district, which includes parts of southern Palm Beach County and a few Broward County precincts, has a slight Republican registration edge and was effectively out of reach for Dems when prolific fund-raiser Hasner was running.

In a sign that Democrats are more optimistic about their post-Hasner prospects, several A-list Dems are on the host committee for a fund-raiser next week for Democratic candidate Lori Berman, a former aide to U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton.

The money-raising committee includes Palm Beach County Commissioner Burt Aaronson, state Sen. Ted Deutch and state Reps. Kelly Skidmore, Maria Sachs and Kevin Rader. Wexler’s top local aide, Wendi Lipsich, is also listed as one of the hosts.

Former Boca Raton councilman Bill Hager is the only Republican in the District 87 race.

Former NYC mayor and onetime GOP presidential frontrunner Rudy Giuliani will headline a May 8 fund-raiser for 2010 Republican state House candidate Nick Loeb at the Manalapan home of Richard DeVos, the Amway-founding billionaire who owns the Orlando Magic.

Loeb and former Boca Raton Councilman Bill Hager are seeking the Republican nomination to replace term-limited state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton, in District 87, which includes parts of southern Palm Beach County and a few Broward County precincts.

Delray Beach activist Nick Loeb announced at tonight’s Palm Beach County GOP meeting that he’ll run in 2010 for the south-county seat of term-limited state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton. Former Boca councilman Bill Hager has also announced he’s running in the GOP primary. Democrats are expected to make a play for the seat as well. Loeb is managing partner of Carbon Solutions America, a company that helps businesses become more energy efficient.