(a) TIME; GENERAL PROVISIONS.
Regular Municipal elections shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in the odd-numbered years. All Municipal elections shall be conducted by the election authorities prescribed by general laws of the State of Ohio unless the Council shall otherwise ordain, and the provisions of the general election laws of the State of Ohio shall apply to all such elections unless the Council or this Charter shall otherwise provide.
(b) ELECTORS' QUALIFICATIONS; BALLOTS.
Every citizen of the United States who is of the age of eighteen (18) years and over and who has been a resident of the State thirty (30) days, of the County thirty (30) days and of the voting precinct thirty (30) days next preceding the election at which he or she offers to vote, has the qualifications of an elector and may vote at all elections, provided such citizen has registered as a voter with the election authorities in the manner and within the time prescribed by the laws of the State of Ohio. No primary election shall be held for the selection of candidates for any elective Municipal office. The ballots used in all elections provided for in or under this Charter shall be without party mark or designation of any sort. The names of all candidates shall be placed upon the same ballot and shall be rotated in the manner provided by the general laws of the State of Ohio. The form of ballot to be used on all questions submitted to the electors shall, if not specifically prescribed in this Charter, be prescribed by Council at the time the question is certified to the proper election officials for the calling of the election.
(11-7-78; 11-4-97)
(c) NOMINATING PETITIONS.
Any qualified person may be nominated for any elective office created by or under this Charter, by a petition or petitions prepared and filed in accordance with Ohio law. (11-4-97)
(d) SPECIAL ISSUES; STATE ELECTION LAWS.
Any matter which by the terms of this Charter or ordinance of Council may be submitted to the electors at a special election may be submitted at any general election. All matters relating to elections not herein or by ordinance of Council specifically provided for shall be determined by the general election laws of the State of Ohio.
(e) RUN-OFF ELECTION.
In any election for the office of Mayor and/or President of Council, when more than two (2) candidates are eligible to be elected, that candidate who receives the most votes and at least forty (40%) percent of all ballots cast for that office shall be elected. If no candidate is elected thereby, a run-off election shall be held on the first Tuesday of December immediately following between the two (2) candidates who received the most votes for that office.
(11-3-87; 11-6-01; 11-4-08)