City filing period begins Tuesday

Jefferson City residents interested in serving on the City Council can begin filing to run for office this week.

The city's filing period begins at 8 a.m. Tuesday and ends Dec. 17.

To run for City Council, candidates must be at least 21 years old at the time of election, be a U.S. citizen and a qualified voter of the city. They also must have lived in the city for at least one year before the election and lived in the ward they wish to represent for six months before the election.

Candidates can have no outstanding debts to the city and cannot have ever been found guilty of misappropriation of funds in office. They also cannot have ever been removed from a seat on the council.

All five incumbents plan to seek re-election: 1st Ward Councilman Rick Prather, 2nd Ward Councilman J. Rick Mihalevich, 3rd Ward Councilman Bob Scrivner, 4th Ward Councilwoman Carrie Carroll, and 5th Ward Councilman Larry Henry. Carroll is filing to run for her last term on the council, as members are limited to four, two-year terms in office.

There is no filing fee to run for office; however, candidates must have endorsements from three people who live in the area the candidate wishes to represent. The endorsements must be signed either before a notary public or before the city clerk. Endorsement forms are available from the city clerk's office or on the city website at www.jeffcitymo.org.

City Council members are paid $450 per month.

Elections will be March 4, 2014, if a primary is needed, and general elections will be April 8, 2014.