[CC §1.03; Ord. No. 23, 10-7-1974]
A. Regular Elections. The regular City election shall be held
on the first (1st) Tuesday in April of each year, or as designated
by the Election Board.
B. Qualified Voters. All citizens qualified by the Constitution
and laws of the State of Missouri to vote in the City and who satisfy
the requirements for registration prescribed by law shall be qualified
voters of the City within the meaning of this Chapter.
C. Conduct of Elections. Except as otherwise provided by the
Charter, the provisions of the general election laws of the State
of Missouri shall apply to elections held. All elections provided
for shall be conducted by the election authorities established by
law. For the conduct of City elections, for the prevention of fraud
in such elections and for the recount of ballots in case of doubt
or fraud, the Council shall adopt by ordinance all regulations which
it considers desirable, consistent with law and the Charter, and the
election authorities may adopt, and if they adopt shall publicize,
further regulations consistent with law and the regulations of the
Council.
[CC §1.04; Ord. No. 23, 10-7-1974]
A. Sponsors. Any qualified voter of the City may be nominated
for the City Council by petition of ten (10) qualified voters, who
shall be designated as his sponsors. (Sponsors for a candidate for
Ward Councilman must be residents of the Ward for which the candidate
is nominated). No voter shall sign more than one (1) petition for
the office of Mayor and one (1) petition for the office of Ward Councilman
and, if a voter signs more than one (1) his signature shall be void.
The signatures shall be executed in ink or indelible pencil. Each
signer shall indicate next to his signature the date of his signing
and the place of his residence, giving the street and number or other
description sufficient to identify it. The signed petitions shall
be filed with the election authorities not earlier than ninety (90)
days or later than forty (40) days before the election. In the event
a special election becomes necessary the City shall certify a sample
ballot to the election authorities responsible for conducting the
election not later than the fourth (4th) Tuesday prior to said special
election.
B. Acceptance — Deposit. No nominating petition shall
be accepted unless accompanied by a signed acceptance of the nomination
and a deposit by the candidate of ten dollars ($10.00). The deposit
shall be returned to the candidate if:
1. He becomes ineligible, or
2. He files a notice of withdrawal with the election authorities not
later than the last day for filing nominating petitions; otherwise,
the deposit shall be paid into the City Treasury.
C. Procedure After Filing. Within seven (7) days after the
filing of a nominating petition, the election authorities shall notify
the candidate and the person who filed the petition whether or not
it satisfies the requirements prescribed. If a petition is found insufficient,
the election authorities shall return it immediately to the person
who filed it with a statement certifying wherein it is insufficient
and return to the candidate the deposit of money. Within the regular
time for filing petitions a new petition may be filed for the same
candidate. The election authorities 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.
[CC §1.05; Ord. No. 23, 10-7-1974]
The full names of all candidates nominated for membership in
City Council, except those who have withdrawn, died or become ineligible,
shall be printed on the official ballots without party designation
or symbol in the order petitions were filed with the election authorities.
If two (2) or more candidates have the same surname or surnames so
similar as to be likely to cause confusion, their residence addresses
shall be printed with their names on the ballot.
[CC §1.07; Ord. No. 23, 10-7-1974]
Every voter shall be entitled to vote for as many candidates
of the City Council as there are members to be elected from the Ward
in which the voter resides and to vote for one (1) candidate for Mayor
at large. Candidates receiving the greatest number of votes shall
be declared elected. Any tie in an election shall be determined in
accordance with State Statute.
[CC §1.08; Ord. No. 23, 10-7-1974]
An ordinance or charter amendment to be voted on by the City
shall be presented for voting by ballot title. The ballot title of
a measure may differ from its legal title and shall be a clear, concise
statement describing the substance of the measure without argument
or prejudice. Below the ballot title shall appear the following question:
"Shall the above described (ordinance) (amendment) be adopted?" Immediately
below such question shall appear, in the following order, the words
"yes" and "no".
[CC §1.10; Ord. No. 23, 10-7-1974]
If, for any purpose relating to a general or City election or
to candidates or issues involved in such an election, any organization,
group or person requests a list of qualified voters of the City, the
department, office or agency which has custody of that list shall
either permit the organization, group or person to copy the voter's
names and addresses from the list or furnish a copy of the list.