City Election Information

Elections for City offices are established by our City Charter and Chapter 12 of the City Code. Officials are elected every year. The Mayor is elected for four years, with an eight-year term limit; City Council members are elected for staggered two-year terms, and are also subject to term limitation of eight-years; the Municipal Judge and City Prosecutor are both elected to two-year terms, and there are are no term limits for either of those two offices.

Vacancies in Office

When a Council Member resigns or dies while still in office, new members are nominated, and one is subsequently elected by the remaining Council Members to serve for the rest of that Council year (which runs April to April). The person elected to fill the vacancy would then need to file to run for any remaining portion of a full 2-year term.

When a vacancy occurs in the offices of Municipal Judge or Prosecutor, the Mayor appoints, with the approval of the Council, a person to fill out the remainder of the election year. The appointee may then file to run for office.

Elections for the City of Jefferson are conducted by the Cole and Callaway County Clerks, but the ballots containing all City issues and candidates are prepared and are certified to the Counties by the City Clerk in accordance with state election laws. The City reimburses the Counties for its share of the cost to conduct elections.

 

How to File for Office

The City Code requires that the candidate have three endorsements from registered voters (see Candidate Endorsement Form below) in the area the candidate wishes to serve before he or she files for office.

NOTE: After the required three endorsements have been received and verified by the City Clerk, the candidate must then file for office in person by completing a Declaration of Candidacy form in the City Clerk's office during the legal filing period in order for his or her candidacy to become official.