CITY ELECTIONS 2012

RESOURCES

Secretary of State web page

Auditor Calendar for City Elections

City Clerks Guide

Candidate Guide for City Election

Filing Officer’s Guide

County Auditor

City Attorney

BASICS

City Election held in odd-numbered years

1st Tuesday after 1st Monday in November

Election process:

Primary election and regular city election

Regular city election

Regular city election and runoff election

NOMINATION PROCESSES

Clerk must certify method of nomination adopted by city ordinance

90 days before regular city election

Methods of Nomination

Primary Election

Nomination by Petition, Chapter 45

Nomination by Convention, Chapter 44

Runoff Election

PRIMARY ELECTION (§376.6)

If no ordinance is filed naming the nomination process

Nomination by petition

Only held if more than 2 candidates filed nomination papers to run for an office

Occurs 4 weeks before Regular City Election

Only offices with more than 2 candidates are included on the ballot

2 candidates who receive the most votes are nominated and will go on the ballot for the Regular City Election

NOMINATION BY PETITION (CH. 45)

By city ordinance

Regular city election is the only election held

Candidates collect signatures on petitions to get name on ballot

NOMINATION BY CONVENTION (CH. 44)

By city ordinance

Regular city election is the only election held

Candidates are nominated by nonparty political organization (NPPO) conventions to get name on ballot

RUNOFF ELECTION (§376.9)

By city ordinance

No candidate for an office receives a majority of votes cast

OR

Write-in candidate receives a majority of votes cast and declines office

Held 4 weeks after Regular City Election (Candidates cannot withdraw)

PUBLIC MEASURES (§376.4)

Determine if city council plans to include any public measures on the ballot at the Regular City Election

Public measures must be filed with county auditor no later than 5 p.m. on:

For cities with primary election provisions: 39 days before the primary election (early September)

For cities with any other nomination method: 46 days before the regular city election (late September)

NOMINATION PAPERS

Nomination papers available:

City clerk’s office

County auditor’s office and website

Secretary of State’s office and website

Nomination papers include:

Affidavit of Candidacy

Nomination Petitions

OR

Certificate of Nomination by Convention (NPPO)

NOMINATION PAPERS

No “first day” for collecting signatures

Signers must be still qualified at time the nomination papers are filed

Instruct candidate to complete top of every petition page

Inform candidate of nomination process and number of signatures needed

Provide candidate guides, calendars, and office list

SIGNATURE REQUIREMENTS

Nomination by Petition (Ch. 45)

Based on population 3,500 or greater = 25 signatures

100 – 3,499 = 10 signatures

Less than 100 = 5 signatures

Nominations by Convention (Ch. 44)

Nomination petition signatures not required.

Convention certificate must show attendance by at least 10 eligible electors Includes one person from each of at least ½ of precincts in the

city (ex: city has 6 precincts, need a person from at least 3 different precincts)

SIGNATURE REQUIREMENTS

Primary or Runoff

At least 2 % of votes cast for the office the last time it was on the ballot (not fewer than 10 signatures)

At-large seats =

(Total number of votes cast ÷ Number of seats on ballot at election 2 years ago) × 0.02

Always round up fractions to the next whole number

FILING DEADLINES

Primary Election

First day: Monday, August 12, 2013

Last day: Thursday, August 29, 2013 – 5 p.m.

Regular City Election

First day: Monday, August 26, 2013

Last day: Thursday, September 19, 2013 – 5 p.m.

No early or late filing

RECEIVING NOMINATION PAPERS

Must be filed with city clerk or clerk’s designee

City clerk’s offices must be open until 5 p.m. on the last day of filing

Someone else may deliver completed nomination papers for the candidate to the city clerk

Nomination papers must be filed together

Affidavit of candidacy and nomination petitions

OR

Affidavit of candidacy and certificate of nomination by convention

RECEIVING NOMINATION PAPERS

Review affidavit of candidacy for:

Name of office and district or ward (if any) Vacancy candidates: “to fill vacancy” marked

Name of candidate

Candidate’s address (street address, city, zip, and county)

Signature of candidate and notarization

Nothing can be added to a notarized document

RECEIVING NOMINATION PAPERS

Review nomination petitions:

Pages must be fastened together

Information on top of each page is completed and is the same as is on affidavit

Minimum number of signatures is met

Do not count signature lines: Without a signature Without a signer’s home address (street name and

house number) That are outside the applicable district

RECEIVING NOMINATION PAPERS

Return unacceptable papers to be corrected and resubmitted if time permits

File stamp affidavit and nomination papers with date and time

Issue receipt for nomination papers

NOMINATION PAPERS

Keep photocopy of each affidavit

Keep list of candidates’ names and offices for which they have filed

Deliver all nomination papers to county auditor by 5 p.m. on:

Primary Election: Friday, 39 days before the primary election (early September)

Regular City Election:Friday, 46 days before the regular city election (late September)

WRITTEN OBJECTIONS (§376.4 & 44.4)

Questions about candidate qualifications or objections to nomination papers must be made in writing

Filed with city clerk

For cities with primary election provisions: 63 days before Regular City Election

For cities with any other nomination method: 42 days before Regular City Election

CANVASS OF VOTES

Primary Election

Second day after Primary no earlier than 1:00.

Regular City Election

For cities without runoff provisions

Monday or Tuesday at regular Board of Supervisors meeting following election

For cities with runoff provisions

Second day after Regular City Election no earlier than 1:00.

Runoff Election

Monday or Tuesday at regular Board of Supervisors meeting following election

WRITE-IN VOTES

Regular City Election in cities with primary elections or elections conducted under Ch. 44 or Ch. 45

If a write-in candidate is elected:

Candidate doesn’t have to file an affidavit of candidacy

Person is declared elected

WRITE-IN VOTES

If a write-in candidate is elected and declines the office:

Winning write-in candidate must submit letter of resignation to city clerk by 5 p.m. the 10th day after the canvass

City clerk notifies the person who received the next highest number of votes

If there is more than one person who received the next highest number of votes, lots are drawn

If accept, that person is duly elected UNLESS

They decline in writing within 10 days after notice from city clerk, then the office is vacant

OR

A petition is filed requesting a special election. The petition must be signed by eligible electors of the city equal in number to 25% of the people who voted for the office in question.

WRITE-IN VOTES

City Primary Elections

Any person who received write-in votes and who wants to appear on Regular City Election ballot must file an affidavit of candidacy Must be filed by 5 p.m. on the day following the

canvass

Can be filed with city clerk or county auditor

WRITE-IN VOTES

Cities with Runoff Provisions

If a write-in candidate is elected and declines the office: Write-in winner must file letter of resignation with

city clerk or county auditor by 5 p.m. on the day following the canvass

All remaining write-in persons who wish to be considered candidates for runoff election must file affidavits of candidacy with city clerk or county auditor by 5 p.m. on the 4th day following the canvass

WRITE-IN VOTES

Cities with Runoff Provisions

If a runoff is necessary and write-in votes were cast: Everyone who received write-in votes must file an

affidavit of candidacy

Runoff election held even if one of remaining candidates has a majority after write-in votes were disregarded

VACANCIES

City Council may fill by appointment or Special Election

Appointment Made within 40 days after vacancy occurs

City council must publish notice of intention to appoint and the right of the people to call a special election by petition

Cities with runoff provisions or Ch. 44 or 45 provisions

Vacancies occurring on or before 52 days before the regular city election must be filled at the regular city election (unless filled by an earlier election)

Offices with vacancies filled by appointment must be on the ballot

VACANCIES

By special election by petition

Petition must be filed with city clerk within (whichever is later):

14 days of publication of intent to appointment

OR

14 days after the appointment is made

Signature Requirements =

Total votes cast for that office at last regular election in which office was on ballot

Population of City Signatures (whichever is less)

10,000 or less 15% or 200

10,001 – 50,000 15% or 1,000

50,001 or more 10% or 2,000

VACANCIES

Nominations

Candidate signature formulas and petition forms are the same

Filing periods: Cities with Primary Election provisions

First day: as soon as notice is given to the auditor

Last day: Friday, 53 days before election, noon

All other nomination methods First day: as soon as the notice is given to the auditor

Last day: Friday, 25 days before election, noon

SPECIAL ELECTIONS (§39.2)

Special City Elections may be called on the first Tuesday in the following months:

March

May

August

November (in combination with the regular city election or the federal general election)

Special elections to fill vacancies may be held on any available Tuesday provided sufficient notice is given to county auditor

ELECTION COSTS (§47.3)

The county auditors conduct the city elections

The cost of conducting city elections paid by the city

Costs included but are not limited to: Ballots Election register & eligibility documents Newspaper publication Precinct election officials Canvass materials Preparation & installation of voting equipment Other costs

RESOURCES

County Auditor’s Office

City Attorney

Secretary of State’s Office

www.sos.iowa.gov

515-281-0145

Mary Mosiman – Deputy of Elections

mary.mosiman@sos.iowa.gov

515-281-5866