2023 City Election Information SessionCITY ELECTION INFORMATION SESSIONAugust 21, 2023
Quick Facts•Four City Council Districts/Seats•District 2, Seat 2 (4-Year Term)•District 3, Seat 3 (4-Year Term)•District 4, Seat 4 (2-Year Term)•District 5, Seat 5 (4-Year Term)•Mayor (4-Year Term)The candidate filing period is August 28 – September 8
District 2,Seat 2
District 3,Seat 3
District 4,Seat 4
District 5,Seat 5
Mayor
Understanding Your DistrictResidents can verify the district of their residence at https://meridiancity.org/districting
Find Your District
What’s New?•House Bill 125: The deadline for write-in candidates moved to the ninth-Friday before the election, aligning it with the filing deadline.•The 2023 General Election will be the first election in which Meridian City Council seats will be elected by district.
Elected Official Responsibilities•Act as legislative and policy-making branch of government of the city•Attend and participate in City Council meetings•Meetings held the first four Tuesdays of each month: 4:30 (Work Session) and 6:00 (Regular Meeting)•Special meetings with elected officials of other agencies(ACHD, WASD, etc.)•Department Liaison appointments•Appointments to other boards (Meridian Development Corporation, Valley Regional Transit, etc.)
Elected Official Pay and Benefits•Annual City Council Compensation of $17,335.00.•Annual Mayoral Compensation of $131,645.90 in 2024, and $139,387.16 in 2025.•The Mayor and City Council members receive the same benefits of regular, full-time city employees, with the exception of vacation and sick leave accrual.https://meridiancity.org/human-resources/employee-benefits/
What is it like to serve?William L.M. Nary•Meridian City Council from 2002 – 2004 •Current City AttorneyLuke Cavener•Current City Council member
Getting Your Name on the Ballot•Candidates must file the Declaration of Candidacy and…. •Option A: Petition of Candidacy with five or more signatures of registered voters from within the Meridian City limits – verified by Ada County Elections•Option B: $40 filing fee, payable by cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card (subject to a transaction fee of $2.23)
Candidate RequirementsCandidates for Mayor and City Council must meet the following qualifications:•At least 18 years of age at the time of filing a Declaration of Candidacy•A United States citizen•A primary residence within the City of Meridian (for City Council –residence must be in the district for which they are seeking election)•A registered voter within the city at the time of filing a Declaration of Candidacy
Campaign FinanceCampaign Finance Reporting is completed within the Secretary of State’s Campaign Finance Portal•Once a candidate has raised or spent $500, they must file the appointment of a political treasurer and begin reporting in the portal/•Upon filing your Declaration of Candidacy, you are the default political treasurer.
Petition for Candidacy•In lieu of $40 filing fee, this form is filed with signatures from five (5) or more qualified electors•Must be a qualified elector•At least 18 years of age•A U.S. citizen•A resident of the city of Meridian•A registered voter •Qualified electors may sign multiple petitions•Candidates may sign their own petition
Declaration of Candidacy•The form which places your name on the ballot•Declare the district/seat for which you are seeking election•Verifies your address against voter registration•Acknowledge campaign finance rules•Certifies information as true and accurate•Must be notarized (The City Clerk’s staff are able to notarize for you)
Write-In Candidates• Votes for a write-in candidate cannot be counted unless the person has filed as a write-in candidate•Write-in candidates are not required to file petition of candidacy or pay filing fee•Write-in candidates must file declaration by September 8 (same as filing deadline)
Withdrawal of Candidacy•Deadline to withdraw candidacy is Friday, September 22•After that date, the candidate name will remain on the ballot
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions“Where can I place my campaign signs?”•No signage may be placed on public or private property without permission.•No signage may be placed on any city property.•If a public utility grants permission for one candidate, they must allow all candidates for the same office to place signage.
Frequently Asked Questions“Are there term limits for City Council?”•No. The term limits statute was repealed by the 2002 Idaho Legislature. •There are no restrictions on the number of terms an elected city council member may serve.
Frequently Asked Questions“My name is Margaret, but people know me as Maggie. Can I run as ‘Maggie’?”•The name on the ballot must appear exactly as it is written on the Declaration of Candidacy. •File your declaration as you wish your name to appear on the official ballot.
Frequently Asked Questions“Who can notarize my declaration or petition?”•Any Notary duly authorized by the State of Idaho can notarize your documents, including City Clerk’s Office staff.
Frequently Asked Questions“Can I campaign on Election Day?”•Yes. However “electioneering” is a criminal offense. •You may not campaign or distribute materials within a building where an election is being held, nor may you do so within 100 feet of a polling place, regardless of the location being public or private property.•City Hall is an early-voting site, as well as a polling location.Please note: This also applies to Early Voting or In-Person Absentee Voting locations while voting is taking place.
The dotted line represents 100’ from City Hall Entrance and Absentee Ballot Dropbox
Frequently Asked Questions“Can residents of Meridian’s Area of Impact vote for City Council candidates?”•No. Idaho Code does not allow nonresidents to vote in City elections. •It is important to note that having a Meridian ZIP code does not correlate to being a Meridian resident.•Those in doubt should verify their address with Ada County Elections.
Frequently Asked Questions“Can I run for multiple seats? Can I change my seat?”•A candidate may only be listed on the ballot for one office.•A candidate must declare the District/Seat they are seeking on their declaration of candidacy. •A candidate may change the office they are seeking (Mayor or City Council) only during the filing period by completing the following steps.•Withdraw declaration of candidacy•File new declaration with corresponding petition for candidacy or $40 filing fee
Frequently Asked Questions“What if I live in District 1 or 6?”•Only those living in Districts 2, 3, 4, and 5 will see City Council on their ballot.•Elections for Districts 1, 4, and 6 will be held in November 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions“When does the term of office begin?”•Those elected to office will be sworn into office at the first City Council Regular Meeting of 2024 (currently scheduled for January 2, 2024). •The City Clerk will remain in contact with elected officials to confirm date, time, and location.
Frequently Asked Questions“I want to file a complaint about….”•Complaints should be made in writing to the City Clerk’s Office. They can be mailed, emailed, or delivered in person. •Provide as much detail as possible, as well as contact information.•All complaints will be investigated by the City Clerk and the City Attorney.