Nominating petitions available

Three terms on the Cape Gir­ar­deau City Council will end next year.

Term limits prevent Ward 5 representative Matt Hopkins, who has served two four-year terms, from running again. Ward 3's Loretta Schneider and Ward 3's Debra Tracy have said they will seek re-election.

Nominating petitions for candidates will be available in the city clerk's office of city hall, 401 Independence St., starting Tuesday.

A potential candidate must be at least 21 years old, a resident of the city for at least two years; a resident of the ward in question for at least 90 days before Oct. 23; and a registered voter.

Nominating petitions must be signed by at least 50 voters eligible to vote for the proposed city council candidate.

Those petitions must be filed at the city clerk's office between Oct. 23 and Nov. 20, along with the acceptance of nomination form.

Cape Girardeau's wards are not simply defined. Each ward's borders zig and zag around streets. In general, Ward 3 is centrally located, inside a line south of Perryville Road: east of Kingshighway and Peach Tree Street; west of Pacific and north of Bloomfield; Ward 4 is generally north of Kingshighway, Lisa Drive and Perryville Road and west of Old Sprigg Street Road; Ward 5 is east of North Mount Auburn Road and Edgewood Street; north of Themis and Bloomfield streets; west of Kingshighway, Peach Tree Street and Cape Rock Drive; and south of Lisa Drive and Perryville Road.

Voters near the borders should check the ward map at city hall or online at www.cityofcapegirar­deau.org/citygovernment/mayor citycouncil/councilwardmap.aspx.

If more than two candidates file to run in any single ward, a primary election will be held Feb. 5 followed by an April 8 general election. If each ward has two or fewer candidates, only a general election would be held, on April 8.

To learn more, call city clerk Gayle Conrad at 334-1212.