Qualifying begins Tuesday for City of Gadsden elections

The Gadsden City Council's next meeting will be Monday, not Tuesday as usual, so all hands can be on deck in the city clerk's office for the first day of qualifying for the mayor's race, and City Council and Board of Education seats.

Candidates may qualify from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 401 at City Hall, starting Tuesday, for a two-week period. The office will be closed for Juneteenth on June 20, then qualifying will continue through June 28.

City Clerk Iva Nelson said the clerk's office will close at 5 p.m. June 28 — an extension of hours to be in accordance with election laws.

Races for city offices are non-partisan, and no write-in votes are allowed.

Qualifying fee for all candidates is $50.

City district lines remain the same for council and school board races. Nelson said there are some changes in polling places, and her office will start "blasting" the public with information about those changes after the runoff race for county and state elections is complete, to avoid any confusion.

For voters, ensuring that voter information is up to date will help make the process at the polls run smoothly. Anyone who has moved or gotten married since registering to vote should update information — it does not happen automatically.

To update, contact the Etowah County Board of Registrars at 256-549-5384; visit the Secretary of State's website at https://sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/register-to-vote to update or register online; or print out or request a form to register.

For candidates, Nelson said, the clerk's office will confirm voter registration and provide each candidate with a simple form to file out, along with a candidate packet.

The packet will include information about two state laws candidates must abide by: the Fair Campaign Practices Act for the Secretary of State's office and the Statement of Economic Interest for the state Ethics Commission.

"It's up to candidates to be aware," Nelson said, of the requirements.

For mayoral candidates, there will be a map of the city and street index. For council and school board candidates, there will be maps of the district they will run in, and a street index for the district.

The packet also will include a couple of articles from the League of Municipalities that should be helpful to candidates.

"We just want to give candidates some information that will be helpful," Nelson said.

The municipal election is Aug 23, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If a runoff is required it will be Sept. 20.

The new administration will take office Nov. 7.

Contact Gadsden Times reporter Donna Thornton at 256-393-3284 or donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Gadsden City Elections: Qualifying begins Tuesday, ends June 28