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Election Information

Next Scheduled City of Albany Elections

Elections for the offices of Mayor & City Councilor are scheduled for November 6, 2012. Forms and information will be available in August 2012.

Nomination Process for City Councilors & Mayor

Nominations are made by declaration of candidacy, signed by the candidate, together with a filing fee of $5, or by the filing of a petition containing the signatures of 25 persons having the same qualifications as the office sought and an acceptance of nomination by the candidate. A person signing a petition shall sign only one petition for each office.

Qualifications as prescribed in the Charter of the City of Albany are as follows:

The candidate must be a qualified elector within the meaning of the Constitution of Oregon and have resided in the City during the 12 months immediately preceding the election and in the Ward he or she seeks to represent, in the case of Councilor, for a period of 90 days immediately prior to election.

Forms for petitions and declarations are available at the office of the City Clerk in Albany City Hall.

Political Signs

Signs are allowed under the following regulations:

DEVELOPMENT CODE 13.320 (9) POLITICAL SIGNS
Signs shall be erected and maintained entirely on private property with the consent of the occupant of the premises, and be limited to an area of 4 square feet per face in a Residential Zone and 8 square feet per face in a Commercial or Industrial Zone and a maximum dimension or height of 3 feet in a Residential Zone and 5 feet in a Commercial or Industrial Zone. Billboards are excluded from this provision. No signs shall be erected or maintained on utility poles or upon trees, rocks or other natural features. Signs shall not be erected prior to 45 days from the applicable election, and shall be removed with 7 days after the election. Violation of this ordinance shall result in enforcement procedures against the candidate or property owner.

CITY ATTORNEY OPINIONS
February 23, 2000
Regarding mail-in elections: 45 days before the first day that mail-in ballots can be accepted for the mail-in election, signs may be erected. Generally, Linn County has said that mail-in ballots can be accepted 14 days prior to election date.

September 10, 2004
Regarding allowing the use of individuals on corners holding a political sign endorsing a candidate: Such signage is legal within the Albany sign code as our code addresses signs that are connected in some way to a structure, building, or device. In particular examples are seen of political signs during parades or rallies as being allowable.

COUNCIL MOTION
August 25, 2008
MOTION: Political signs may be posted 45 days prior to the date that ballots are distributed to the general population by each county. Motion was seconded and passed 5-0.

Last updated on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 10:35 AM