All elections for office of the City shall be nonpartisan. Nomination for City office shall be by petition only. Each nominating petition and statement of candidacy shall be filed with the Board of Elections not later than the first Tuesday in August of the year in which the election is to be held. Each petition shall be signed by not less than twenty-five electors of the City. Nominating petitions and statements of candidacy shall be in the form prescribed in accordance with the state law for independent candidates. The candidates for member of Council, equal in number to the places to be filled on Council, who received the highest number of votes, shall be declared elected. If an unexpired term of a member of Council is to be filled, it shall be submitted as a separate proposition. The general laws of the State of Ohio not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article shall apply to and govern the nomination and election of all elective officials of the City.