About City Council
About this position
- Office level
- City
- Election frequency
- Every 4 years
- Affiliation
- Nonpartisan
- Positions
- 1 open seat
Election type
- Partisan election (party labels appear on ballots)
- Run-off election
How to run for City Council
- Step 1
Meet eligibility requirements
To be elected or appointed to the Council, including as Mayor, a person shall meet the following requirements: (a) Qualified voter. Be a qualified voter of the City; (b) Taxpayer. Current on all city taxes or municipal user fees, as attested by the candidate to the City Clerk in a form prescribed by the Director of Finance; (c) Minimum age. Attained the age of twenty-five years before election day; (d) Residency. (1) Mayor. Resided a total of at least five years before election day, including the two years immediately prior to election day, in the territory embraced within the City limits. (2) Council members. Resided at least two years immediately prior to election day in the territory embraced within the City limits. Resided at least six months immediately prior to election day within the district from which elected. (e) Criminal record. Unless otherwise provided by law, no person shall have been found guilty, either after a trial or as a result of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, of a felony or of any other act in another jurisdiction that would be a felony if committed in Missouri unless having been a qualified voter for five years next preceding election. No person having entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere for which imposition of sentence has been suspended shall be qualified for service as a member of the Council, including as Mayor, unless the required period of probation has passed and the charges have been dismissed, or otherwise disposed. (f) Grounds for forfeiture of office. No person shall assume office as a member of the Council, including as Mayor, if any grounds for forfeiture of office as provided in this Charter exist. Failure to assume office on August 1 or within fifteen days of being elected at a special election or appointed to office will result in the office to which elected or appointed being deemed vacant.
- Step 2
File for office
- Filing requirements
- Petition filed with the City Clerk or an appropriate election authority signed by no fewer than 500 nor more than 1,500 registered voters of the city.
- Filing period
- December 22, 2026 - January 19, 2027
- Paperwork instructions
- Submit paperwork to the County Clerk's office.
- Where to file
- 201 W Lexington, 2nd Fl, Independence, MO 64050
- Filing phone
- 816-881-1626
- Step 3
Launch your campaign
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