Mary Mosiman Deputy of Elections Iowa Secretary of State’s Office (515) 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  1 st Tuesday after 1 st 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 10 th 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 4 th 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 CitySignatures (whichever is less) 10,000 or less15% or ,001 – 50,00015% or 1,000 50,001 or more10% 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    Mary Mosiman – Deputy of Elections