Article IV
Nominations and Elections
SEC. 1. HOLDING CITY ELECTIONS; TIME, ELECTORS,
QUALIFICATIONS, REGISTRATION, STATE LAW.
(A) The regular City election shall be held on the first
Tuesday after the first Monday in November in those years in
which an election is required.
(B) All citizens qualified by the Constitution and the laws
of the State to vote in the City and who have satisfied the
requirements for registration as set by the Constitution and
laws of the State shall be qualified electors of the City within
the meaning of this Charter. The City Clerk may register
electors at places outside of the City Clerk's offices so as to
facilitate the registration of all qualified electors of the
City.
(C) Except as otherwise provided by this Charter, the
Constitution and laws of the State shall apply to the conduct of
elections held under this Charter and the registration of
electors in the City.
(Charter effective 1-1-77)
SEC. 2. NOMINATING PETITION, FORM, FILING.
(A) Candidates for election to the City Commission shall be
nominated by petition. Any qualified elector of the City may be
nominated for election by a petition signed by qualified
electors of the City not fewer in number than fifty (50) nor
more in number than eighty (80). The form, size, and contents of
all nominating petitions shall be as provided by the laws of the
State. The City Clerk shall provide nominating petitions for all
elected offices. An individual may circulate his own petition.
(B) All separate papers comprising the nominating petition
shall be assembled and filed with the City Clerk as one
instrument within the time limitation set for filing petitions
as provided by the laws of the State, except that no nominating
petition may be filed sooner than thirty (30) days before the
last day set for filing petitions. The City Clerk shall make a
record of the exact time when each petition is filed. No
nominating petition shall be accepted for filing by the City
Clerk unless accompanied by a signed acceptance of the
nomination.
(C) Within five (5) days after the filing of the nominating
petition, excluding weekends and holidays, the City Clerk shall
notify the candidate and the person who filed the petition
whether it satisfies the requirements prescribed by this
Article. If the petition is found insufficient, the City Clerk
shall return it immediately to the person who filed it with a
statement certifying wherein it is insufficient. Within the
regular time limit for filing petitions, the original petition
may be amended and filed again as a new petition, or another
petition may be filed for the same candidate. The City Clerk
shall keep on file all petitions found sufficient at least until
the expiration of the term for which the candidates are
nominated in those petitions.
(Charter effective 1-1-77)
SEC. 3. CHALLENGERS AT POLLING PLACES.
A regularly nominated candidate shall be entitled, upon
written application to the City Clerk at least ten (10) days
before the election, to appoint individuals to represent the
candidate as challengers at each polling place where voters may
cast their ballots for him/her, but at no time shall more than
one (1) challenger per candidate be at each polling place. A
person so appointed shall have all the rights and privileges
prescribed for challengers under the general election laws of
the State. The challengers may exercise their rights through the
voting and until the ballots have been counted.
(Charter effective 1-1-77)
SEC. 4. VOTES FOR COMMISSION.
Every voter shall be entitled to vote for as many candidates
for the Commission as there are Commissioners to be elected.
(Charter effective 1-1-77)
SEC. 5. SPECIAL ELECTION; RESOLUTION BY COMMISSION.
Special elections shall be held when called by resolution of
the Commission, setting forth the purpose of this election. At
least forty-five (45) days notice must be given of a special
election.
(Charter effective 1-1-77)
