Cross References

Referendum's regarding public utilities - see Ohio Const., Art. XVIII, Sec. 5

State law provisions - see Ohio R.C. Ch. 3519

(a)

Elections. A general election for the choice of elective officers provided for in this charter shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in odd numbered years. Elections so held shall be known as regular municipal elections. Such other elections shall be held as may be required by law or provided for in this charter.

(b)

Nominations. Candidates for all offices to be voted for at any municipal election under the provisions of this charter shall be nominated at a nonpartisan primary election to be held in odd numbered years on the same date as may be provided in the general laws of the state for the holding of primary elections.

(c)

All elections provided for in this charter shall be conducted and the results certified in accordance with general laws of the state, unless otherwise provided for in this charter or ordinance of council.

(d)

At each election, the electors voting therein may cast their votes for not more than the number of persons to be elected to the office in question.

(Adopted 11-7-33; Ord. No. 1748-2014, 7-21-2014)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 1748-2014, adopted July 21, 2014, amended the title of § 41 to read as set out herein. Former § 41 was titled the initiative.

Nothing in this charter, directly or through incorporation of state election laws, shall prevent the city from adopting ordinances, enforcing requirements, or setting limits or disclosure requirements on campaign finances or monetary contributions relating to elections for city ballot issues or offices.

(Ord. No. 1748-2014, 7-21-2014)

All elections provided for in this charter shall be by secret ballot, and such ballots shall be nonpartisan, without party marks or designations.

(Ord. No. 1748-2014, 7-21-2014)

(a)

Candidates for the office of city council member and for mayor, city attorney, and auditor, shall be nominated by a nonpartisan primary election. The name of any elector of the city shall be printed upon the primary ballot if there is filed with the election authorities a valid nominating petition in accordance with the following provisions:

(1)

The requirements for such petition form and circulation, and for the validation of such petition and the parts thereof and signatures thereon, shall be as provided for nonpartisan nominations in general laws of the state, unless otherwise provided for by this charter or ordinance of council.

(2)

For the offices of mayor, city attorney and city auditor such petition shall be signed by not less than one thousand registered electors of the city and such signatures shall be affixed thereon no more than one year prior to the date of filing; and, to ensure a strong voice for electors in each council district, for each council district such petition shall be signed by not less than two hundred and fifty registered electors of the district.

(3)

Such petitions shall be filed with the election authorities no later than four p.m., not less than ninety days previous to the day of such primary election.

(4)

Such petitions shall contain the names and addresses of five registered electors of the city of Columbus designated in advance by the candidate or candidates as a nominating committee.

(b)

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section, if no petition in accordance with the provisions of this section is filed for any of the offices to be voted on at the next regular municipal election, or if the number of persons filing such petitions does not exceed, as to any such office, the number of candidates which would be placed upon the ballot at the next regular municipal election, then no primary election should be held for the purpose of nominating candidates for such office to be voted upon at such next regular municipal election. The election officials whose duty it would have been to provide for and conduct the holding of such primary election, shall declare the results thereof and issue certificates of nomination to the persons entitled thereto if such primary election had been held, shall declare each of such persons filing petitions in accordance with the provisions of this section to be nominated and shall place their names on the ballot at the next regular municipal election in the same manner as though such primary election had been held and such persons had been nominated at such elections.

(Ord. No. 1748-2014, 7-21-2014; Ord. No. 0650-2018, 3-5-2018)

The following procedures for the nomination and election of a successor shall apply when this charter requires an election for the remainder of an unexpired term of office:

(a)

When a vacancy occurs during the term of office of an elected city official and an appointment to fill that vacancy has been made more than thirty days before the deadline for filing nominating petitions for the next regular municipal election, then unless this charter section provides otherwise, the nomination and election of candidates for the unexpired term shall be conducted in the manner provided in this charter for the nomination and election for such office.

(b)

When a vacancy occurs during the term of office of an elected city official and an appointment to fill that vacancy has been made less than thirty days before the deadline for filing nominating petitions for the next regular municipal election but more than ninety days before the next regular municipal election, then candidates seeking election to the unexpired term shall file nominating petitions otherwise in compliance with this charter not less than thirty day after the appointment to fill such vacancy has been made, and there shall be no primary election.

(c)

Notwithstanding other provisions of this charter, in that case the election authorities shall place on the ballot at the next regular municipal election all candidates who have filed valid nominating petitions otherwise in compliance with this charter, and the candidate who shall receive the greatest number of votes shall be declared elected for the unexpired term.

(d)

Notwithstanding other provisions of this charter, an election for the remainder of an unexpired term of office is not required by this charter when an appointment to fill the vacancy occurs less than ninety days before the next regular municipal election.

(e)

The nomination and election for the remainder of an unexpired term of a council member shall be conducted separately from other council nominations and elections that may be on the ballot at that regular municipal election.

(Ord. No. 1748-2014, 7-21-2014)

Every elector of the city may vote for any municipal office appearing on a primary, general, or special election ballot. The two candidates for nomination to any municipal office, including a councilmember elected by district, who shall receive the greatest number of votes in a primary election shall be placed on the ballot at a regular municipal election, and the candidates at the regular municipal election who shall receive the highest number of votes for their respective offices at such regular municipal election, shall be declared elected. A tie between candidates for any office shall be decided by lot under the direction of the election authorities, as provided by the general election laws of the state.

(Ord. No. 1748-2014, 7-21-2014; Ord. No. 0650-2018, 3-5-2018)

(a)

If a person nominated by petition as a candidate for the office of city council member or for mayor, city attorney, or auditor, at a nonpartisan primary election, if such an election is to be held for the office sought by such candidate, dies, is disqualified or withdraws before such primary election, the vacancy so created may be filled in the manner and by the deadline provided for in general laws of the state, unless otherwise provided by this charter or ordinance of council.

(b)

If a person is either nominated in the primary election as a candidate for the office of council member or for mayor, city attorney, or auditor, for the next subsequent general election or certified as a candidate for the next subsequent general election according to this charter, and such candidate dies, is disqualified, or withdraws before such general election, the vacancy so created may be filled in the manner and by the deadline established in general laws of the state, unless otherwise provided by this charter or ordinance of council.

(Ord. No. 1748-2014, 7-21-2014)