SECTION 51 . CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.

   A Charter Review Committee shall be convened by Council at least once every seven (7) years, from the adoption of this section, to review this Charter. Members of this Committee shall be appointed by Council, shall be electors of the City and shall be selected at large.

(Amended November 7, 1989)

CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

SECTION 52 . CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.

   There shall be a Civil Service Commission, with the powers and duties conferred or imposed by law upon municipal civil service commissions. The Civil Service Commissioners of the City in office when this Charter goes into effect shall continue, with the powers and duties provided by law, and, under the rules of the Civil Service Commission of the City of Ashland, heretofore promulgated and adopted, subject however to Section 1 of the amendments thereto, and, at the expiration of the respective terms of said Commissioners, the successors to said Commissioners shall be appointed in the manner and for the terms provided by law, and, in case of a vacancy in the office of any such Commissioner the vacancy shall be filled by a like appointment for the unexpired term.

   Only such offices and places of employment as are now classified in Rule One of the Code of Rules of the Civil Service Commission of the City of Ashland, or such other appointive offices and places of employment as the Civil Service Commission may hereafter classify, shall be under Civil Service in the City of Ashland, Ohio.

   The Ashland Civil Service Commission is authorized to adopt and promulgate local rules and regulations that vary from state civil service procedure as contained in the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Administrative Code. (Amended November 6, 2007)

NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS

SECTION 53 . NOMINATION BY PRIMARY ELECTION.

   Any elector of this Municipality, save and except as is hereinbefore provided, may become a candidate for any elective office herein provided for and have his name printed upon the primary ballot, which ballot shall be printed without party designation, by filing with the Board of Elections a petition signed by at least two (2) per centum of the total vote cast for Mayor at the last regular Municipal election. Except that person seeking to become a candidate to become a member of Council may do so by filing a petition signed by at least two (2) per centum of the total ward vote cast for Mayor at the last regular Municipal election. Those candidates, equal to twice the number of places to be filled in each office, who respectively receive the highest number of votes cast for each office at the primary election, shall have their names printed upon the ballots for the regular election, provided that in case of a tie vote at such primary election all persons receiving such equal number of votes shall have their names printed upon the ballots for the regular election, and provided further than in case fewer than twice the number of places to be filled in each office are voted for at such primary election then all such names voted for shall be placed upon the ballots for the regular election. All nomination petitions shall be signed, filed and verified and each candidate's declaration to qualify if nominated and elected shall be filed and verified in the manner prescribed by general law at least seventy-five days prior to the date of holding such primary election. The names of all candidates upon such primary ballots shall be placed under their proper and respective designation indicating the office to be filled and the number to be voted for and in proper rotation as provided for in regular Municipal elections, and such primary election shall be held in the manner prescribed by general law except as herein provided. (Amended November 7, 1989)

SECTION 54 . NOMINATION BY PETITION.

   Any elector of this Municipality save and except as is hereinbefore provided may become a candidate for any elective office provided for by this Charter by filing with the Board of Deputy State Supervisors a nominating petition signed by not less than ten (10) per centum of the total number of votes cast for Mayor at the last regular Municipal election. Such nomination by petition shall in all particulars conform to the requirements prescribed by general law.

SECTION 55 . REGULAR ELECTIONS.

   All officers provided to be elected in this Charter shall be elected upon one ballot without party designation. The names of all candidates nominated by primary election or by petition as herein provided for shall be placed upon this ballot under the proper heading designating the office to be filled and the number of persons to be voted for and the names of candidates shall be printed in rotation as follows: The ballot shall be printed in as many series as there are candidates for the office for which there is the greatest number of candidates. There shall be an equal number of ballots printed in each series and the names of the candidates for each office shall be arranged in alphabetical order under the title thereof in printing the first series. In each succeeding series the first name in each list of candidates for each office shall be printed last in such list until each name in the largest list shall have been printed first an equal number of times. The ballots so printed shall then be combined in tables, so as to have the fewest possible ballots having the same order of names printed thereon together in the same tablet. The ballots shall in all other respects conform as nearly as may be to the form prescribed by the general election laws of the State, and the regular election shall be held and its results determined as prescribed by law.

SECTION 56 . SPECIAL ELECTIONS.

   All other elections held under this Charter, except those designated as regular Municipal and primary elections, shall be known as special Municipal elections and, except as otherwise provided herein, shall be conducted and the results canvassed and announced by the election authorities as prescribed by the general election laws of the State.

THE RECALL

SECTION 57 . REMOVAL OF OFFICER.

   Any elective officer or officers provided for in this Charter may be removed by the qualified electors of this Municipality and his or their successor or successors elected in the following manner:

SECTION 58 . PETITION FOR REMOVAL.

   A petition demanding the removal of such officer or officers shall be filed with the Clerk of the Council signed by at least thirty-five (35) per centum of the qualified voters of the Municipality, based upon the number of votes cast for Mayor at the last Municipal election, and containing a general statement of not more than two hundred words of the ground upon which the removal is sought.

SECTION 59 . AFFIDAVIT; RECORD.

   Such petition shall be secured from the Clerk of Council by one or more qualified electors who shall file an affidavit stating the name and office of the officer or officers sought to be removed. Upon issuing such petition papers to an elector or electors the Clerk shall make record of same and to whom issued and shall certify on such petitions the name of the elector or electors to whom issued and the date.