Article 9: Elections
Sec. 1. Permitted types of election.
Elections to be held in the city shall be either general, run-off or special elections.
(a) General elections shall be held for the purpose of electing officers of the city and determining whether a run-off election is necessary.
(b) Run-off elections shall be held when any elected offices remain unfilled after the general election.
(c) All other municipal elections that may be held by authority of this charter, or of any other law, shall be known as special elections and may, at the discretion of the city council, be conducted concurrently with a general, run-off or any other election authorized by law.
Sec. 2. Qualifications of electors; registration.
The qualifications of electors shall be as required by the constitution and laws of this state for state, county and city electors. Registration of voters shall be as required by the laws of this state and the register of qualified electors shall be compiled from the general county register.
Sec. 3. Arrangement of names not to reveal source of candidacy or support of candidates.
The names of the candidates for each office shall be arranged as provided by law and nothing on the ballot shall be indicative of the source of the candidacy or of the support of any candidate.
Sec. 4. Time of holding general elections.
General elections shall be held in even numbered years on the first calendar date authorized by the state law establishing mandatory election dates. If there is no such law, or if the state law is made optional or is determined not to be mandatory for charter cities, the general election shall be held on the third Tuesday in February. Run-off elections, if necessary, shall be held following general elections on the second calendar date authorized by the sate law establishing mandatory election dates. If there is no such law, or if the state law is made optional or is determined not to be mandatory for charter cities, the run-off shall be held on the fourth Tuesday in March.
Sec. 5. Majority to elect in general.
Any candidate who shall receive at the general election, the number of votes constituting a majority of all of the ballots cast, shall be declared to be elected to the office for which he is a candidate, and no further elections shall be held as to said candidate provided that if more candidates receive the number of votes constituting a majority of all of the ballots cast than there are offices to be filled, then those candidates, equal in number of the offices to be filled, receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared to be elected.
Sec. 6. Run-off election.
If at any general election there be any office or offices to which no candidate therefor was elected, then a run-off election shall be held to elect candidates to fill such office or offices. The candidates not elected at the general election, equal in number to twice the number to be elected to any given office, or less if so there be, and who received the highest number of votes for the respective offices at the general election, shall be the only candidates at the run-off election; provided, that if there be any person who under the provisions of this section would have been entitled to become a candidate for any office, except for the fact that some other candidate received an equal number of votes therefor, then all such persons receiving said equal number of votes shall likewise become candidates for such office.
Sec. 7. Candidates receiving most votes to be elected.
The candidates, equal in number to the persons to be elected, who shall receive the highest number of votes at a run-off election shall be declared elected to such office. In any cases of ties, the decision as to winner shall be determined by lot.
Sec. 8. Special elections.
Subject to the requirements of any state election laws that may apply, the council shall provide the time, manner and means of holding any special election, provided that no election shall be called less than thirty (30) days following publication in the official newspaper of the city. All special elections shall be conducted in the same manner and under the same provisions as are provided for the holding of general elections.
