From his biography, Charles Van Zant was born in Jacksonville, went to Stetson University and graduated in the University of Florida where he got a degree in the architecture in the year 1968. After the graduation, he opened an architecture firm under the name of Van Zant Associates and he is still its owner. He also attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and he got a Master of Divinity Degree and also got a Doctorate of Theology degree from Western Baptist Theological Seminary. Besides being architect, he also worked like a pastor for different churches and this included First Baptist Church of Keystone Heights and of Trinity Baptist Church. He is a member for Clay County School Board since 2007 and was appointed by Charlie Crist while he is serving like the Vice-Chairman.

When the incumbent State Representative Joe Pickens was not able to get the re-election because of term limits, Charles Van Zant ran so that he can succeed him for 21st District and this included a part of North Florida; Putnam County, Marion County, Northern Lake County, Southern Clay County and Southern Bardford County. In Republican primary, he was able to emerge victorious narrowly over Patricia Freeman and Christopher France. Charles Van Zant faced Linda Myers, who was a commissioner for Putnam County and was nominated by Democrats. He won the election with only 2000 votes over that of component. When the legislative about the districts got redrawn in the year 2012, he was moved into the 19th District that continued with Putnam County and Clay County but also added some section of the Bradford County and of Union County. He was elected unopposed for his second, third and fourth and also final term.

For the candidates who want to take his seat include his wife, Katherine Van Zant. However, the opponents attack his wife saying that she would continue in the political footprints of her husband and she will not bring real change. His son Charlie Van Zant is also interested in the seat and he has been a superintendent of Clay County’s schools for over 30 years. Katherine is an engineer and she is 55 years old. She is known not to be too happy when opponents want to tie her with the legislative career of her husband. It is not clear when he married, his wife but they have 8 children together; Michael, Charles Jr, Scott, Katie, Kimberly, Joshua, Daniel and Lydia. His net worth has not been recorded anywhere. With his wife, they paid 8,716 dollars as unpaid taxes with interest stemming that came from the homestead exemption which they should not have claimed.