All candidates for elective city offices shall be nominated in the manner provided by general election laws applicable to special, local and municipal elections in the State of California, and succeeding and other sections or laws relating to independent nominations, in force at the time of any general municipal election, except as hereinafter otherwise prescribed; provided, however, that nominating certificates for a councilperson of a district shall be signed by at least fifty qualified electors of the district from and by which the nomination is made and provided further, that all nominating certificates shall be filed with the city clerk not more than sixty days nor less than fifty days before the day of the general municipal election.
When candidates for any office are nominated in accordance with the provisions of this section, it is hereby provided and directed that no party name or designation shall appear on the certificate or ballots and that the names of all candidates for each office shall be arranged alphabetically on said ballot.
Editor's note: This section was amended by the voters of the city on March 26, 1996. This section was further amended by Ordinance 4788, which was approved by the voters of the city at a special municipal election held November 2, 2021.