City Releases Important Dates For June 7 Municipal Elections

CITY RELEASES IMPORTANT DATES

FOR JUNE 7 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

First day to circulate petitions is March 1;

Deadline to file petitions is March 29

RAPID CITY--Candidates for positions on the Rapid City Council can begin circulating petitions Tuesday, March 1. One position in each of Rapid City's five wards is up for election Tuesday, June 7.

Candidates will be seeking three-year terms on the City Council. The candidate receiving the most votes in each election will be declared the winner. There will be no runoff elections. The Council positions currently held by incumbents Ron Weifenbach (Ward 1), Bill Evans (Ward 2), Greg Strommen (Ward 3), Lance Lehmann (Ward 4) and Darla Drew (Ward 5) will be on the ballot this election cycle.

The City is reminding voters and potential candidates of important dates during the election season.

Election packets for the municipal election are available beginning Monday, February 28 and can be obtained at the City Finance Office at 300 Sixth Street. The packets include important information including deadlines for candidates to file financial interest statements. Any petitions signed or notarized before March 1 will not count. Petitions containing signatures of at least 50 persons registered to vote in a candidate's ward must be filed with the City Finance Office by Tuesday, March 29 at 5 p.m. A new requirement this election cycle is all signatures must be verified to ensure individuals are residents of the respective council ward.

March 29 is also the deadline for removing a candidate’s name from the ballot.

Voter registration deadline is May 23. Early voting will begin on May 23 and end at 5 p.m. June 6. Early voting may begin earlier if the ballots have been received by the Pennington County Auditor’s Office, which is contracted to conduct the Rapid City municipal election.

Candidates must file a Statement of Financial Interest within 15 days after filing their nominating petitions, and must also file a Statement of Organization for a Candidate Campaign Committee not later than 15 days after becoming a candidate. All required forms must be filed with the City Finance Office.

Candidates elected June 7 will take office at the Tuesday, July 5 City Council meeting.

For more information or questions, contact the City Finance Department at 394-4143.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

DATE EVENT

February 28 Petition packets available/City Finance Office

March 1 Circulating petitions can begin

March 29 5 p.m./Deadline to file petitions

March 29 5 p.m./ Deadline to withdraw as a candidate

May 23 Early voting begins

May 23 Voting registration deadline

June 6 5 p.m./Early voting ends

June 7 ELECTION DAY