Nominating petition process for Cape council candidates starts next week

The next Cape Girardeau City Council election won’t occur until April. But the process leading to candidate filings for the Wards 3, 4 and 5 council seats begins next week.

Prospective candidates can pick up nominating petitions starting Monday in the city clerk’s office at city hall, officials said.

Under the city’s charter, candidates must secure signatures of at least 50 registered voters in their ward in order to file for office.

Candidates will appear on the ballot in order of the filing of nominating petitions with sufficient signatures, according to the city’s website.

Prospective council members must be registered voters, at least 21 years old, and have been Cape Girardeau residents for at least two years immediately before their election and must be residents of their wards for at least 90 days before the first day a nominating petition can be filed.

The filing period begins Oct. 22 and ends Nov. 19.

If more than two candidates file for a council seat, a primary election will be held Feb. 4.

The council election will be held April 7.

Ward 3 is represented by Nate Thomas, who was appointed to the City Council seat in August following the resignation of Victor Gunn.

Ward 4 Councilman Robbie Guard was elected in April 2016.

Ward 5 Councilman Ryan Essex was appointed by the council in May 2018 to fill the vacancy created by the election of Bob Fox as mayor. Voters then elected Essex in August 2018 to fill out the remainder of the unexpired term.

Both Guard and Essex said Thursday they will seek reelection. Thomas said he plans to run for a full, four-year term.

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