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office of the city clerk

Municipal Elections

ELECTIONS 2009

City Offices scheduled for the 2009 election include:

  • City Council - District 2
  • City Council - District 4
  • City Council - At-Large (one seat)
  • Commissioner of Public Works (one seat)
ELECTIONS 2011

City Offices scheduled for the 2011 election include:

  • Mayor
  • City Council - District 1
  • City Council - District 3
  • City Council - At-Large (one seat)
  • Commissioner of Public Works (one seat)
Qualifications

The Mayor, City Council members, and Commissioner of Public Works (Water Commission) shall be qualified electors of the state, county and city and shall have resided within the corporate limits of the City for at least six months immediately preceding the date of their election. Candidates seeking office from a particular district shall be residents of the district at the time they offer for election and during their entire term of office.

Terms of Office

The term of office for Mayor and City Council members is four years. The term of office for the Commissioner of Public Works is six years.

Method of Nomination

The methods of nomination for municipal elections shall be partisan, as provided in S.C. Code 1976, §5-15-10, et seq, and S.C. Code 1976, tit.7.

Candidates Nominated by Primary or Convention

Municipal political parties may nominate candidates by primary or convention. Dates and times for primaries and conventions are set forth by City Ordinance. Political parties are responsible for conducting their own primaries or conventions according to the set time frames.

Petition Candidates

Candidates may qualify for placement on municipal election ballots by petition method provided that the candidate obtains signatures from five (5%) percent of the voters in the district or at-large seats for which he is a candidate. Petitions are filed with the Municipal Election Commission through the City Clerk. Petition forms can be obtained at the County Voter Registration Office or the State Election Commission.

Filing Deadline

See Nomination and Election Schedule.

Nomination and Election Schedule

All general elections for the election of mayor and members of the City Council shall be held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November in each odd-numbered year, and the Mayor and the members of City Council so elected on the election date shall take office and assume the duties of their respective offices at the first formal meeting, as provided for in City Code §2-61, 30 days after the general election.

The beginning and ending dates for nomination and election events held in each municipal general election year shall be in accord with the following schedule:

  1. Beginning date for filing statements of intention of candidacy with political parties for nominations by convention or primary: twelve o'clock noon, March 16.
  2. Closing date for filing statements of intention of candidacy with political parties for nominations by convention or primary: twelve o'clock noon, March 30.
  3. Party conventions, if party nomination by convention: Any day in the second full week of June.
  4. Party nomination by primary: Second Tuesday in June.
  5. Primary runoffs, if necessary: Each two weeks successively thereafter.
  6. Published notice by city of general election: 60 days before election day.
  7. Closing date for petition candidates to file petitions with the Municipal Election Commission: twelve o'clock noon, 75 days before election day.
  8. Last date for the Municipal Election Commission to validate petitions of petition candidates: twelve o'clock noon, 60 days before election day.
  9. Closing date for parties to file certification of party nominees with Municipal Election Commission: twelve o'clock noon, 60 days before election day.
  10. Election day: First Tuesday after first Monday in November.

When any date prescribed in this subsection falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the determination of whether an alternate date is required or permitted shall be made in accord with the general law of the state; but the selection of an alternate date shall not change the time of day requirements otherwise provided. Filings submitted to the Municipal Election Commission shall be made with the City Clerk.

No later than March 1 of each municipal general election year, the City Clerk shall cause to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the city a schedule identifying the specific date for that year for the events contained in the nomination and election schedule. Such notice shall also include the following language:

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS: STATE STATUTES REGULATING CAMPAIGN PRACTICES APPLY TO MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, AND FAILURE TO FILE STATEMENTS OF ECONOMIC INTEREST AT THE TIME OF FILING FOR NOMINATION AND OF FILING FOR ELECTION WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.

This section shall not apply to a special election which may be required to fill the unexpired term of the Mayor or any member of City Council because of resignation, death, disqualification or any other cause requiring a special election to fill a vacant office of the Mayor or any member of City Council.

Municipal Election Commission

The Municipal Election Commission is comprised of three individuals appointed by City Council who are residents and registered voters of the city of Greenville. Each Commissioner serves a six year term. The Municipal Election Commission is responsible for conducting all elections of the city of Greenville.

Filing Instructions and Deadlines

Candidates filing for office with the city of Greenville or Commission of Public Works are required to:

  1. Candidates for Mayor or City Council:
    Review Article II, “Council,” of Chapter 2, “Administration,” and Article I, “In General,” of Chapter 14, “Election,” of the City Code to confirm eligibility and election process.
  2. Candidates for Board of Commissioners of Public Works:
    Review Article II, “Board of Commissioners of Public Works,” of Chapter 44, “Utilities” and and Article I, “In General,” of Chapter 14, “Election,” of the City Code to confirm eligibility and election process.
  3. Review Nomination and Election Schedule to determine filing deadlines.
  4. If filing with a political party, contact the political party chairman to complete and deliver a Statement of Intention of Candidacy form. If filing as a petition candidate, contact the City Clerk to complete and deliver a Statement of Intention of Candidacy form.
  5. If filing with a political party, provide payment of filing fee to political party.
  6. Complete Statement of Economic Interest and Campaign Disclosure forms required by the State Ethics Commission.

For more information on becoming a candidate, change of address, political party affiliation, polling locations, voter registration, and absentee voting, go to www.greenvillecounty.org/Voter_Registration.