City Commission Election Information

Significant Dates

Filing Deadline:

• Noon, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009

Primary Election

• Tues., March 3, 2009 (if necessary)
• Advance voting begins (if necessary) Wed., Feb. 11, 2009

General Election

• Tues., April 7, 2009
• Advance voting begins Wed., March 18, 2009

Information for candidates

Download .zip file containing all candidates documents

• Memo regarding Candidates for City Commission (PDF, 62 KB)
• 2009 Guide for City Candidates (PDF, 834 KB)
• Affidavit of Exemption from Filing Receipts & Expenditures Reports (PDF, 88 KB)
• Appointment of Treasurer or Candidate Committee (PDF, 55 KB)
• Candidate's Declaration of Intention (PDF, 40 KB)
• Memo from Governmental Ethics Commission (PDF, 86 KB)
• Posting Political Signs (PDF, 38 KB)

Purpose, Structure and Election of the City Commission

The governing and legislative body of the City is the City Commission, comprised of five Commissioners who are elected at-large on a non-partisan basis. The Commission determines all matters of policy and approves all City ordinances and resolutions as well as adopts the annual City Budget.

Structure

By state statute there are five commission seats. There are no precincts or other geographical seat assignments. The same statute provides that the candidates receiving the largest and second largest number of votes shall be elected to four year terms and the candidate receiving the third largest number of votes shall be elected to a two year term. For example, in 2007, Commissioners Dever and Chestnut received the first and second largest number of votes, respectively, and therefore both of their seats will not be up for election until 2009. In 2007, Commissioner Highberger received the third largest number of votes, and thus his seat is up for election in 2009.

Each April, the City Commission elects a member to serve as Mayor. The Mayor presides over Commission meetings, has full voting rights, as do other Commissioners.

Election

Elections are held every other year in odd-numbered years.

In the 2009 election, there are three seats up for election, those held by Commissioners Amyx, Hack, and Highberger. That means in 2011, the seats occupied by Commissioners Chestnut, Dever and the elected Commissioner that receives the third largest number of votes in the 2009 general election will be up for election.