§11-46-22. Notice of elections.

(a) It shall be the duty of the mayor to give notice of all municipal elections by publishing notice thereof in a newspaper published in the city or town, and, if no newspaper is published in the city or town, then by posting notices thereof in three public places in the city or town. When the notice is of a regular election, the notice shall be published on the first Tuesday in July preceding the election or the first business day thereafter. When the notice is of a special election to be held on the second Tuesday in a month, the notice shall be published on or before the second Tuesday of the second month preceding the month in which the election will be held, except where otherwise provided by law. When the notice is of a special election to be held on the fourth Tuesday of a month, the notice shall be published on or before the fourth Tuesday of the second month preceding the month in which the election will be held, except where otherwise provided by law. Whenever and wherever two or more municipal offices of the same name (constituting a group) are to be filled at the regular election, prior to the first day of April preceding the election, the municipal governing body shall by ordinance designate each of the offices by number. When the offices have been designated by number, the notice of the election shall clearly indicate that the offices have been numbered and each candidate for the offices, in the announcement of his or her candidacy, shall designate the number of the office for which he or she is a candidate. Candidates may begin to qualify after the notice of election is given by the mayor.

(b) The notice of an election for municipal officers shall be substantially in the following form:

"Notice of Election of Municipal Officers

"Notice is hereby given that on (day of week), (date - month, day, and year) an election for the purpose of electing a mayor (or other chief executive) and the board of aldermen (town, city council, or other municipal governing body, or, if the positions on the governing board have been designated by number, the position numbers to be filled at the election) and the other officers as pursuant to duly enacted law or ordinance, or any or all of the officers, are to be elected at the election for the city (or town) of _____, Alabama, will be held, and that all registered and qualified electors of the state, who reside within the corporate limits of _____, Alabama, and have resided therein for 30 days or more immediately preceding the date of the election, and who are qualified to vote in the county precinct which embraces and covers that part of the corporate limits of the city (or town) in which the elector resides, will be authorized to participate in the election.

"The polls will be opened at (here list the places of voting which have been designated pursuant to Section 11-46-24). If necessary, a run-off election will be held on (day of the week), (date - month, day, year)."

Any qualified elector who will have resided within the municipality, or if the municipality is districted, within the district from which he or she seeks election, for a period of at least 90 days on election day may qualify to run for office by filing the appropriate forms and paying any appropriate fees, as otherwise provided by law.

(Acts 1961, No. 663, p. 827, §3; Acts 1976, No. 358, p. 403, §2; Acts 1980, No. 80-94, p. 140, §2; Acts 1982, No. 82-458, p. 711, §3; Acts 1987, No. 87-581, p. 928, §2; Acts 1993, No. 93-760, p. 1514, §2; Act 2003-400, §1.)