5.041 Councilmembers. A councilmember shall be elected to a specific seat on the council. The councilmember shall be elected by receiving the highest vote total of the votes cast in the election for a designated council seat. In the event of a tie vote in a special or regular election in which two (2) or more candidates are seeking the same designated seat on the council, a run-off election will only be held to determine the successful candidate. Each elective officer shall hold such office until a successor is elected and qualified. Absentee voting shall be permitted in all elections as provided by law.
(Amendment adopted by electorate 11-8-22)
5.042 Elections and terms of office. A primary election and a general election are to be held pursuant to law. The regular or general election of councilmembers shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November. Councilmembers shall be elected to a four (4) year term of office and limited to three (3) consecutive four (4) year terms. For the purpose of this limitation, a partial term shall be considered a full term, except for appointments of less than one (1) year. No councilmember may appear on the ballot for reelection if by the end of the current term of office, the councilmember will have served (or, but for resignation, would have served) in that office for twelve (12) consecutive years. All councilmembers shall be elected at-large. The mayor and two (2) other councilmembers, Seats 2 and 3, shall be elected in the same year as the presidential election. The two (2) additional councilmembers, Seats 4 and 5, shall be elected in the following even year.
(Amendment adopted by electorate 11-8-16)
5.043 Primary elections. Primary Elections shall be held on the Tuesday nine weeks prior to the general election or such other date as established by applicable general law of the state for primary elections.
(a) Should there be more than two (2) qualifying candidates for Mayor or for a given Council seat, their names will be placed on the primary ballot. The two (2) primary candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be the candidates in the general election. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes in the general election shall be declared elected to the office for which he or she was a candidate. In the event there are fewer than three (3) qualifying candidates for Mayor or for a given Council seat, their names will not appear on the primary election ballot but they will appear on the general election ballot. If a candidate for Mayor or for a given Council seat receives more than fifty percent (50%) of the vote in a primary election, then said candidate shall be declared elected to the office and no names shall appear on the general election ballot.
(Amendment adopted by electorate 11-8-16)
5.044 Election returns. Election results shall be determined, certified, and published as provided by law. A regular or special meeting shall be held within three (3) working days following the receipt by the city clerk of the official election results from the supervisor of elections at which those councilmembers present shall be given a certified copy of the official canvass of the election and the city clerk or the clerk's designee shall announce the election results. Immediately thereafter the newly elected official or officials shall then be administered the oath of office.
(Ord. 92-28, passed 9-17-92) (Adopted by electorate 11-3-92) (Ord. 2002-48, passed 8-22-02) (Adopted by electorate 11-5-02) (Amendment adopted by electorate 11-6-12)