Section 17. Marking ballots - voting for candidates not regularly nominated.

   In order to vote for a candidate or candidates at any primary or regular City election, the voter shall, after entering the voting booth, place a cross (X) in the square before each candidate's name for whom the voter wishes to vote, but in no case shall an elector vote for more than one candidate for Mayor and for more than the number of candidates to be elected for Council as hereinafter provided.

   A blank space shall be left on the ballots below the printed names of the candidates for Mayor and for Council. In such space an elector may write, stamp or place the name of any person eligible for such office and vote for the person by placing a cross (X) before his or her name to indicate a choice. Any person so voted for shall be considered a candidate in the counting of ballots just as if he or she had been regularly nominated, but in no case shall an elector vote for more than one candidate for Mayor and for more than the number of candidates to be elected for Council as hereinafter provided.

(Amended by electors 11-7-00)

Section 18. Rotation of names.

   The name of candidates for Mayor and for Council shall be printed on the ballots at both primary and regular City elections in rotation as follows:

   The ballots shall be printed in as many series as there are candidates for the office for which there is the greatest number of candidates. The whole number of ballots to be printed shall be divided by the number of series and the quotient so obtained shall be the number of ballots printed in each series. In printing the first series of ballots the names of the candidates shall be arranged in the alphabetical order of their surnames. After printing the first series, the first name shall be placed last and the next series printed and this process shall be repeated until each name shall have been printed first in one series. The ballots so printed shall be combined in tablets to be supplied to the various voting places. Each tablet shall, contain substantially the same number of ballots from each series, and so far as is practicable, the ballots shall be combined in such manner that two or more from the same series shall not be together in a tablet. The ward and precinct shall be designated on the face of the ballot.

(Amended by electors 10-8-63)

Section 19. Counting of ballots - use of mechanical devices.

   In all primary and regular City elections for the office of Mayor and of members of Council the provisions of the statutes of the State of Ohio with reference to the counting of ballots cast in primary and general elections shall apply. In all primary and regular City elections for the office of Mayor and of Council the election authorities are empowered to utilize voting machines orother mechanical devices. Requirements of Section 18 of this Charter may be modified to the extent made necessary by such mechanical devices.

(Amended by electors 11-7-00)

Section 20. Who to be declared elected.

   The candidates for the office of Mayor receiving the largest number of votes at the regular City election and the number of candidates for the office of member of Council, as provided in this Charter, receiving the largest number of votes at such regular City election shall be declared elected. The Mayor elected at the 1993 regular city election and thereafter shall be elected for a term of four (4) years commencing on the first business day of January next after such election, and shall serve until a successor is elected and qualified. The at-large members of Council elected at the 2001 regular City election and thereafter shall be elected for a term of four (4) years commencing on the first business day of January next after such election and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified. The district members of Council elected at the 2001 Regular City election shall be elected for a term of two (2) years commencing on the first business day of January next after the 2001 regular City election and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified. At the 2003 regular City election and thereafter, the district members of Council shall be elected for a term of four (4) years commencing on the first business day of January next after such election and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.

(Amended by electors 11-7-00)

Section 21. Recount of votes.

   A recount of votes may be had by any candidate for Mayor and for Council in the manner prescribed by the statutes of the State of Ohio for recount of the results of any primary or general election.

(Amended by electors 10-8-63)

Section 22. Preservation of ballots.

   The ballots cast at each election shall be preserved by the election authorities for examination and recount in the manner provided by the Revised Code of Ohio for ballots in municipal elections.

(Amended by electors 10-8-63)

Section 23. Deciding a tie vote.

   A tie between two or more candidates shall be determined by lot under the direction of the election authorities.

(Amended by electors 11-7-16)