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11/5/2024 - 2024 Candidate Guide C(c °cr. CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE ANIO OREGO� May 2024 Dear Prospective City Council Candidate: Thank you for your interest in running for the Lake Oswego City Council in 2024. Elections for Mayor and three City Councilor positions will be held during the general election on November 5, 2024. Each position is for a four-year term beginning January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028. This guide provides an overview of the local elections process. Topics include: • General Information about Elections • Qualifications for Candidacy • How to File for Elective Office • Campaign Finance Reporting • Withdrawal of Candidacy or Nomination • Temporary Political Signs at Election Time • Most Frequent Violations & Tips for Prevention • Door-to-Door Campaigning • Voter's Pamphlet • Election Offices Contact Information If you plan to file your papers or have questions about the process of filing, please contact me at 503-534-4225 or CityRecorder@lakeoswego.city. I look forward to working with you. Best wishes, Kari Linder, MMC City Recorder I Elections Officer Respect. Excel ence. Trust. SO vi:.c:. 503-635-0215 380 A AVENUE PO BOX 369 LAKE OSWEGO,OR 97034 WWW.LAKEOSWEGO.CITY Page 2 of 9 THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK Respect, Excellence. Trust. Service. 503-635-0215 380 A AVENUE PO BOX 369 LAKE OSWEGO,OR 97034 WWW.LAKEOSWEGO.CITY Page 3 of 9 GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT ELECTIONS By Charter, the Lake Oswego City Council is composed of a Mayor and six Councilors, all elected at large. The election of the Mayor and Councilors coincide with the state General Election. The terms are staggered so that three Council positions and the Mayor are elected during one race, and three Council positions are elected two years later. The Mayor and three City Councilor positions will be elected at the November 5, 2024 General Election. These four elected positions are currently held by Mayor Joe Buck and Councilors Massene Mboup, Rachel Verdick, and Aaron Rapf. The Mayor candidate and three Councilor candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be elected into office for a four-year term. The City Council canvasses election returns making the vote a part of its official record. Certificates of election are issued to successful candidates. The oath of office will be administered to each newly elected councilor as they assume office in January 2025. The Mayor and City Councilors are required to file a Statement of Economic Interest annually with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission. QUALIFICATIONS FOR CANDIDACY Required qualifications for any individual to fill an elective office in the City of Lake Oswego: • Registered to vote in Oregon. • City resident continuously during the twelve months immediately preceding the election, with residency continuing while in office. Respect, Excel ence. Trust. Sc: 503-635-0215 380 A AVENUE PO BOX 369 LAKE OSWEGO,OR 97034 WWW.LAKEOSWEGO.CITY Page 4 of 9 IMPORTANT DATES Candidates will have resided continuously in the city during November 5, 2023 the twelve months immediately preceding the election to qualify for candidacy. June 5 First day to file nomination papers with the city elections officer. August 20 Suggested deadline to file nomination papers with the city elections officer. August 27 Last day to file nomination papers with the county elections office. August 30 Last day to withdraw candidacy. September 9 Last day for city candidates to file voters' pamphlet statements with the county elections offices. October 16-22 County elections offices mail out ballots. November 5 Election Day January 7, 2025 Oaths of Office administered at the first City Council meeting of the new year. — Respect. Excellence. Trust. Service. 503-635-0215 380 A AVENUE PO BOX 369 LAKE OSWEGO, OR 97034 WWW.LAKEOSWEGO.CITY Page 5 of 9 HOW TO FILE FOR ELECTIVE OFFICE Candidates are encouraged to make an appointment with the City Recorder in advance in order to review the process, paperwork, and deadlines for filing a prospective petition. Candidate filing forms are available from the City Recorder, or you may download them directly from the State Elections Division website at http://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Pages/electionforms.aspx. Candidates filing for elective office must complete the following steps: Step 1: File Your Prospective Petition with the City Make an appointment with the City Recorder to file your perspective petition and receive important election information. The following forms will be submitted at that time: • SEL 101—Candidate Filing, Major Political Party or Nonpartisan (Candidate Filing— Major Political Party or Nonpartisan form — marked "Prospective Petition") AND • SEL 121—Candidate Signature Sheet, Nonpartisan All signature sheets (SEL 121) must be approved in writing by the City Elections Official before circulating for signatures. The petition circulator signs the bottom of their SEL121 after they are finished collecting signatures on that page. The City Recorder will review the prospective petition for completion and provide written approval to circulate the petition. Per Lake Oswego City Code 11.02.110, candidates must obtain the signatures of at least 20 registered Lake Oswego voters to have their name placed on the ballot. Candidates are advised to secure additional signatures to ensure the County Elections Division is able to verify the required number. Prospective Petitions may be filed beginning June 5, 2024. Step 2: Verify Completed Signature Sheets with the County Elections Division Submit completed signature sheets (SEL 121) to the City Recorder, who works with the Clackamas County Elections Division to verify signatures. The County Elections Division will check that each signature sheet certification is signed and dated by the circulator and that each signature sheet is numbered sequentially in the space provided. The County Elections Division will then verify the original signatures against voter — Respect, Lxcellence. Trust. Service. 503-635-0215 380 A AVENUE PO BOX 369 LAKE OSWEGO, OR 97034 WWW.LAKEOSWEGO.CITY Page 6 of 9 registration records and return the certified signature sheets to the City Recorder. If the County is unable to validate 20 signatures, and the filing deadline of August 20, 2024 has not passed, the candidate may secure and submit additional signatures for verification. The County estimates a turnaround time of 48 hours, excluding weekends. Step 3: File Your Completed Petition with the City A completed petition will include: • SEL 121—Candidate Signature Sheets, Nonpartisan (with signature verification from the County Elections Division) AND • SEL 338 Petition Submission, Candidate, Voters' Pamphlet Completed Petitions may be filed between June 5 and August 20, 2024. Step 4: Complete City of Lake Oswego Acceptance of Nomination The form will be provided at the time the candidate submits their completed petition to the City Recorder. Upon completion of the form, the candidate's name will be submitted for the November 5, 2024 General Election ballot. CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTING Oregon campaign finance law requires that candidates file campaign finance information with the Oregon Elections Division under certain circumstances. See the Secretary of State's Candidate Quick Guide for frequently asked questions by first-time candidates. For detailed information regarding filing requirements, refer to the Campaign Finance Manual on the Secretary of State's website, or contact the Secretary of State Elections Division directly. WITHDRAWAL OF CANDIDACY OR NOMINATION To withdraw from candidacy or nomination, a candidate must file a SEL 150, Candidate Filing- Withdrawal, with the City Elections Official I City Recorder. The deadline to withdraw from the November 5, 2024 General Election is August 30, 2024. Respect, Excel ence. Trust. Sc: 503-635-0215 380 A AVENUE PO BOX 369 LAKE OSWEGO,OR 97034 WWW.LAKEOSWEGO.CITY Page 7 of 9 TEMPORARY POLITICAL SIGNS AT ELECTION TIME Guidelines for Political Signs LOC 47.08.300 Application: None Fee: None Size: Six square feet, maximum sign area. Consent: The City recommends acquiring written consent from the property owner before placement of a sign on private property. Location: Private property only. Signs are not allowed in the public right-of-way*. City staff removes illegally or improperly placed signs. Signs collected by the City are subject to a $32 retrieval fee per sign. *Temporary A-frame signs are allowed in the public right-of-way with permission of the abutting property owner on Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For detailed rules, dimensions, and location requirements for these special signs, please consult Section 47.08.300(2)(c)of the Lake Oswego Code or contact the City's Planning Department at 503-635-0290. Time Limits: Signs may be posted no sooner than 90 days before the election (August 4) and must be removed no later than the fifth day following the election date (November 10). MOST FREQUENT VIOLATIONS & TIPS FOR PREVENTION SIGNS IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY Signs are prohibited in the public right-of-way* (see exception in previous section) The following are typically located within the public right-of-way: 1) Water meters; utility boxes; utility poles/overhanging wires; 2) Traffic signals; traffic signs; street lights; fire hydrants; 3) Street medians/landscape islands; 4) Planting beds on the street side of sidewalks; 5) Sidewalks and streets unless posted as private; and 6) Property pins noting the edge of the public right-of-way. Respect. Excel ence. Trust. S..`vi::i:. 503-635-0215 380 A AVENUE PO BOX 369 LAKE OSWEGO,OR 97034 WWW.LAKEOSWEGO.CITY Page 8 of 9 ATTACHING SIGNS TO TREES City Code prohibits attaching signs to trees (LOC 47.04.115 (12)). ATTACHING SIGNS TO UTILITY POLES Utility regulations prohibit attaching signs to utility poles. Utility poles are located within the public right-of-way. BALLOONS, ETC. City Ordinance prohibits attaching balloons, or other moving, flashing, or animated parts to signs. For more information on sign requirements, contact Senior Code Enforcement Specialist Bill Youngblood at byoungblood@lakeoswego.city or Code Enforcement Specialist Kellie Bowie at kbowie@lakeoswego.city. DOOR-TO-DOOR CAMPAIGNING Lake Oswego Code Sections 34.16.910, 34.16.915, 34.16.920, and 34.16.950 govern solicitation. "Solicitation" includes all door-to-door campaigning, even simply leaving written materials. Individuals who campaign door-to-door must: 1. Limit door-to-door campaigning to the hours between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. 2. Refrain from soliciting on property where a "No Solicitation" sign has been posted (LOC 34.16.945). For further information, contact the City Attorney's Office at 503-635-0225. VOTER'S PAMPHLET Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington County— Each county publishes a voter's pamphlet for the general election. A candidate's statement for the County Voters' Pamphlet cannot be submitted until after the Elections Officer/City Recorder certifies your name for the ballot. The statement is filed directly with each county no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 9, 2024. See each County's website, or contact them directly, for filing information and fees. This fee is considered an expense, so it must be included on the contribution and expenditure reports. Respect, Excel ence. Trust. Sc: 503-635-0215 380 A AVENUE PO BOX 369 LAKE OSWEGO,OR 97034 WWW.LAKEOSWEGO.CITY Page 9 of 9 ELECTION OFFICES CONTACT INFORMATION City of Lake Oswego 503-534-4225 Kari Linder, Elections Officer I City Recorder 380 A Avenue P. O. Box 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034 CityRecorder@lakeoswego.city www.lakeoswego.city Clackamas County Elections Division 503-655-8510 1710 Red Soils Court, Suite 100 Oregon City, OR 97045 elections@clackamas.us http://www.clackamas.us/elections/ Multnomah County Elections Division 503-988-3720 1040 SE Morrison Street Portland, OR 97214 elections@multco.us http://web.multco.us/elections Washington County Elections 503-846-5800 2925 NE Aloclek Drive, Suite 170 Hillsboro, OR 97124 election@co.washington.or.us http://www.co.washington.or.us/elections/ Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division 503-986-1518 255 Capitol St. NE, Suite 501 Salem, OR 97310 elections.sos@state.or.us http://sos.oregon.gov/elections Respect. Excel ence. Trust. S..`vi::i:. 503-635-0215 380 A AVENUE PO BOX 369 LAKE OSWEGO,OR 97034 WWW.LAKEOSWEGO.CITY