(a) Regular and Special Municipal Elections. General municipal elections for the purpose of the election of officers provided for in this charter shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each odd-numbered year and shall be known as regular municipal elections. Except for primary elections, all other elections held under the provisions of this charter or as may be required by law shall be known as special municipal elections.
(b) Primary Elections. On the second Tuesday in September prior to each general municipal election, a primary election shall be held for the purpose of nominating persons, without regard to political parties, for election to offices provided for by this charter to be voted for at the next regular municipal election.
The number of candidates for the offices of mayor, each of the four ward councilmembers, and judge of the Lakewood Municipal Court at any regular municipal election shall be the two persons on the primary election ballot receiving the highest number of votes at the primary election. The number of candidates for the office of councilmember at large at any regular municipal election in the city shall be the six candidates on the primary ballot receiving the highest number of votes at the primary election.
In case there shall not be more than two persons who have filed petitions for the office of mayor, any of the offices of the ward councilmembers, or judge of the Lakewood Municipal Court, then those persons shall be the candidates at the regular municipal election and the primary for the particular office shall not be held. In case there shall not be more than six persons who have filed petitions for the office of councilmember at large, then those persons shall be the candidates at the regular municipal election and the primary for that office shall not be held.
(c) Election Procedures. Write-in votes for municipal candidates in regular municipal elections shall be permitted only if a duly nominated candidate cannot participate due to death or other disqualification, or if a candidate does not have an opponent, or if no candidate has been nominated. The ballots used in the primary and regular municipal elections shall be without party mark or designation. The names of all candidates shall be placed upon the same ballot and shall be rotated in the manner provided by general law.
(d) Certificate of Nomination when no Primary is Held. In the event a primary election is not held, the county board of elections shall declare each candidate to be nominated, issue appropriate certificates of nomination to them and certify their names in order that they be printed on the official ballots provided for use in the regular municipal election, as if a primary election had been held and each person had been nominated at that election.
(e) Designation of Candidates. Candidates for nominations to elective offices provided for in this charter shall have their names printed on the official primary ballot by filing a declaration of candidacy, meeting all required qualifications and paying any required filing fees.
(f) Declarations of Candidacy. Candidates for the offices of mayor and member of council shall, not later than 4:00 p.m. of the 90th day before the day of the municipal primary election, file a declaration of candidacy. Except as otherwise required by this charter, the general law of the state shall govern declarations of candidacy. Nominations for each elective municipal office shall be made by petition only, on standard forms provided by the county board of elections for the nomination of nonpartisan candidates. Declarations of candidacy for write-in candidates shall be made on standard forms provided by the county board of elections and submitted within a period of time prescribed by the general law of the state.
(g) Ballot Form. Except as otherwise required by this charter, the form of the ballot at primary, special and regular municipal elections shall be determined by the election authorities in accordance with general law.
(h) Nomination and Election of Judges. Candidates for judge of the Lakewood Municipal Court shall file a declaration of candidacy and be nominated by petition signed by at least 200 registered voters of the city. The petition or petitions when filed shall be accompanied by the written acceptance of the nominee. Each signer of a petition shall sign his or her name and after his or her name designate his or her residence. The petition or petitions shall be filed with the county board of elections as one instrument not later than 4:00 p.m. of the 90th day before the day of the municipal primary election for the office of judge. The names of all nominated candidates shall appear on a nonpartisan judicial ballot in the regular municipal election.
(Ord. 07-19. Passed 4-15-19)