Qualifying

(a)

Except as otherwise provided by state law, all candidates for municipal office shall file their notice of candidacy and pay the prescribed qualifying fee by the date prescribed in order to be eligible to have their names placed on the election ballot by the election superintendent in the following manner:

Each candidate for municipal office or a designee shall file a notice of candidacy in the office of the election superintendent during the city's qualifying period. The city council shall designate the days of the qualifying period, which shall be no less than three (3) days and no more than five (5) days. The days of the qualifying period shall be consecutive days. Qualifying periods shall commence no earlier than 8:30 a.m. on the last Monday in August immediately preceding the general election and shall end no later than 4:30 p.m. on the following Friday; and, in the case of a special election, the municipal qualifying period shall commence no earlier than the date of the call and shall end no later than twenty-five (25) days prior to the election.

(b)

The hours of qualifying each day shall be from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. with one hour allowed for the lunch break; provided, however, that should the city have normal business hours. Except in the case of a special election, notice of the opening and closing dates and the hours for candidates to qualify shall be published at least two (2) weeks prior to the opening of the qualifying period.

(c)

No person shall be eligible to serve as mayor or councilmember unless he or she shall have been a resident of the city for a period of twelve (12) months immediately prior to the date qualifying; and the mayor or councilmember shall continue to reside therein during his or her period of service and to be registered and qualified to vote in municipal elections of this city.

(Code 1972, § 3-306; Ord. No. 2007-06, 5-21-07)