Cape Council looks to set election to fill council vacancy

The Cape Girardeau City Council is expected to fill a vacancy on the board by June 5 with that appointee serving until voters as early as August elect someone to fill the remainder of the unexpired term, officials said.

Council members will vote Monday to set the election for Aug. 7, the same date as the state primary election, which is already scheduled.

The Ward 5 council vacancy was created with the election April 3 of Councilman Bob Fox as mayor.

Under the city charter, if there are no more than two candidates for the vacant council seat, the August election will serve as the general election to fill that seat, city attorney Eric Cunningham said in an agenda report to the council.

If more than two candidates file for the seat, the August election will serve as a city primary election. The two candidates receiving the most votes would square off in the Nov. 6 election, Cunningham said.

The city charter requires council candidates to file nominating petitions no earlier than the 15th Tuesday and no later than the 11th Tuesday before the primary election, Cunningham said.

But the charter also requires the council to appoint within 60 days an individual to temporarily fill the vacancy, he said. The 60-day period began April 6, according to Cunningham.

The appointee must have been a resident of the ward for at least 90 days before the vacancy occurred, he said.

The council is set to discuss the appointment process at its study session in advance of setting the election date at the regular meeting.

Meanwhile, the council will operate with six members, including the mayor, until the vacancy is filled.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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