[Ord. No. 1129 §1(Prop. 7), 12-16-1985]
(b)
Special elections. The city council may, by ordinance,
order special elections, fix the time for such elections, and provide
for holding such elections.
(c)
Conduct of elections. All city elections shall be
governed by the provisions of this charter and of applicable state
law. The city council by ordinance may further regulate elections,
subject to the provisions of the charter and applicable state law.
[Ord. No. 1129 §1(Prop. 7), 12-16-1985; Ord. No. 1316 §1(Prop. 1), 1-9-1989; Ord.
No. 4054 §1(Prop. 1), 12-11-2006]
(a)
Nominations. Nominations of candidates for all elective
offices shall be by petition. Petitions for ward aldermen [city council
member] shall be signed by not less than fifty (50) registered qualified
voters of the ward who are entitled to vote for the candidate so nominated.
Petitions for officials elected by the entire city shall be signed
by not less than one hundred fifty (150) registered qualified voters
of the city. The signatures shall be executed in ink or indelible
pencil. Each signer shall indicate next to his or her signature the
date of signing and the place of the residence, giving the street
and number or other description sufficient to identify his or her
place of residence. The city council by ordinance shall designate
the appropriate form for nominating petitions and for acceptance of
nominations. Provided, however, no nominating petition shall be required
from any candidate desiring to run for office in the election of April,
1976.
(b)
Filing and acceptance. All separate papers comprising
a nominating petition shall be assembled and filed with the election
authorities as one instrument in accordance with the requirements
of RSMo. 115.127.5. The election authorities shall make a record of
the exact time when each petition is filed. No nominating petition
shall be accepted unless accompanied by a signed acceptance of the
nomination.
(c)
Procedure after filing. The city clerk shall notify
the candidate and the person who filed the petition whether or not
it is sufficient. If a petition is found insufficient, the city clerk
shall return it immediately to the person who filed it with a statement
certifying wherein it is found insufficient. Within the regular time
for filing petitions, such a petition may be amended and filed again
as a new petition or a different 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. The city clerk shall only be required
to make a good faith inquiry into the sufficiency of the petition
as can be reasonably and promptly determined from city records and
verification of voter registration by the St. Louis County Board of
Election Commissioners.
The names of candidates shall be printed on the ballots without
party designation. Except where the use of mechanical, electronic,
or other device for voting or counting the votes makes it impossible,
candidates' names shall be printed on the ballots in order of the
filing of approved petitions (or, in the case of the April, 1976 elections,
in the order of filing declarations of candidacy). The names of candidates
in election notices shall be printed in the same manner as they are
to appear on the ballot.
[Ord. No. 1129 §1(Prop. 7), 12-16-1985]
The city council may approve, if necessary, the use of mechanical,
electronic, or other devices for voting or counting the votes not
inconsistent with state law.
[Ord. No. 1129 §1(Props. 6, 7), 12-16-1985]
(a)
Number of votes. In an election for mayor every
voter shall be entitled to vote for only one candidate. In an election
for council member, every voter shall be entitled to vote for one
candidate for each seat on the city council to be filled in his or
her ward.
(b)
Returns--canvass. The city council shall canvass
the election returns and declare the results of any municipal election,
regular or special, at the first regular meeting to be held following
such election after certification by the St. Louis County Election
Commission.[1] The candidates receiving the highest number of votes for
each office shall be declared elected and inducted into office at
that time.
[1]
Correct name is St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners.
(c)
Tie vote. If at any municipal election there shall
be no choice between the candidates by reason of two (2) or more having
received an equal number of votes, the city council shall call a special
election at which the candidates receiving the equal number of votes
shall be the only candidates. The incumbent shall remain in office
until his or her successor has been duly elected and qualified.[2]
[2]
Correct name is St. Louis County Board of Election Commissioners.
[Ord. No. 1129 §1(Prop. 7), 12-16-1985; Ord. No. 1684 §1(Prop. 1), 1-23-1995]
There shall be four (4) city wards with boundaries to be established
by ordinance by the city council. Wards shall comprise compact and
contiguous territory and shall contain, as nearly as possible, an
equal number of inhabitants. Ward boundaries shall be established
by ordinance following each decennial (ten year) census prepared by
or for the United States Government or at other more frequent intervals
as may be determined by the city council.
