Electing the Mayor and Council
for the City of Phoenix
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Which City officials are elected? Which City officials are elected? The elected City officials are the Mayor and Council Members. The Mayor is elected from the city at large, while the eight Council Members are elected from eight geographic Council Districts. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE When are the Council Districts determined? The Council Districts are determined at least once every 10 years based on the census. Each district is substantially equal in population at the time the districts are established. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE What are the qualifications to serve? • The members of the City Council shall be qualified electors of the City of Phoenix and shall hold no other public office for which they shall receive compensation except that of a notary public, a member of the school board or member of the National Guard or Naval or Military Reserve. • Each candidate for Mayor shall at the time of their nomination and during their tenure maintain their permanent residence within the City of Phoenix. • Each candidate for one of the eight Council seats shall at the time of their nomination and during their tenure maintain their permanent residence within the district from which they are nominated. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE What are the terms of office? • The Mayor and Council Members are elected to four-year terms. • To avoid having all the Council seats expire in the same year, council terms are staggered. The Mayor and Council Members from Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7 are elected at one election (2011) and the Council Members from Districts 2, 4, 6 and 8 are elected two years later (2013). RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE Are there term limits? Yes. The Mayor may serve two four-year terms. Each Council Member may serve three consecutive four-year terms. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE When is the next election for Mayor and Council Members? The next election for Mayor and Council Members in Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7 will be held in August, 2011. The next election for Council Members in Districts 2, 4, 6 and 8 will be held in August, 2013. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE What are the nomination requirements? Nomination petitions for Mayor require signatures of 1,500 qualified electors of the City of Phoenix. Nomination petitions for Council Member require signatures of 200 qualified electors of the Council District the candidate seeks to represent. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE Who can sign nomination petitions and when can they sign? Potential candidates can obtain signatures on nomination petitions beginning 180 days before the election. Qualified electors residing in the city can sign a nomination petition for Mayor. Signers of a nomination petition for Council Member must be qualified electors residing in the District the candidate seeks to represent. Electors may sign only one petition for Mayor and only one petition for Council Member. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE When can nomination papers be filed? Nomination papers, which include the nomination petition, must be filed no earlier than 120 days prior to the election and no later than 90 days prior to the election. RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE How do I get more information about candidacy? Candidate packets containing the following information are available in the office of the City Clerk, 200 W. Washington St., Suite 1500, beginning in January of the year of a City Council Election. For additional information pertaining to the packet, call 602-261-8839. • Important dates related to the election • Nomination petitions and other required forms • Political sign information • Electioneering information • Financial disclosure information • Campaign finance information • Campaign finance forms RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE |
