1.12 Elections


(Adopted 11-12-2007; Revised 3-8-2021)

All elections related to College issues and elections of College trustees will be carried out in accordance with Missouri Law.

The qualified voters of the Junior College District of East Central Missouri shall elect two (2) trustees for terms of six (6) years each on municipal election day in April of each even-numbered year. Unexpired vacant terms will be filled in accordance with law.

Procedures (Revised 3-8-2021)

1.12.1 Candidate Filing (Revised 11-6-2023)

Before the sixteenth Tuesday preceding the election, the Board shall publish in at least one (1) newspaper of general circulation in the College District the opening filing date, the offices to be filled, the place for filing, the closing date for filing, and a statement that candidates filing on the first day of filing will be listed on the ballot in random order.

Qualified applicants for the Board may file a declaration of candidacy during business hours in the Franklin County, Missouri, County Clerk’s office commencing at 8:00 a.m. on the sixteenth Tuesday prior to the election and ending at 5:00 p.m. on the thirteenth Tuesday prior to the election. The candidate shall declare their intent to become a candidate in person and in writing to the Franklin County, Missouri, County Clerk or designee.

The names of qualified candidates shall be placed on the ballot in order of filing, except that for candidates who file a declaration of candidacy prior to 4:30 p.m. on the first day of filing, the order in which such candidates’ names shall appear on the ballot will be determined by random drawing. Each candidate filing on the first day shall draw a number at random at the time of filing. The Franklin County, Missouri, County Clerk or designee shall record the number drawn with the candidate’s declaration of candidacy. The names of candidates filing on the first day of filing shall be listed in ascending order of the numbers so drawn and ahead of the names of candidates filing on a later date.

The notice of election and certification of candidates must be submitted to the various election authorities by the tenth Tuesday prior to the election in the manner provided by law. After the tenth Tuesday prior to the election, the candidate list may only be modified pursuant to court order, in accordance with law.

Prior to the College’s certification of candidates to the election authorities, a candidate may withdraw from the election by presenting to the Board Recording Secretary a notarized written statement of their intention to withdraw. After the deadline for certification of candidates to the election authority, a candidate may only withdraw pursuant to court order, in accordance with law.

The Franklin County, Missouri, County Clerk or designee will notarize each candidate’s Affidavit of Tax Payments and Bonding Requirements, which shall be filed with the Missouri Department of Revenue. The Franklin County, Missouri, County Clerk or designee shall also provide each candidate a copy of the Notice of Candidate’s Obligation to File Financial Interest Statement and a plain language summary of the applicable laws provided by the Missouri Ethics Commission as required by law. Candidates must comply with laws concerning eligibility, campaign financing and campaign disclosures.

1.12.2 No Election Held

No election will be held if, after the last date of candidate filing, the number of candidates who have filed is equal to the number of positions to be filled by the election in the appropriate subdistricts. However, if the number of candidates filing exceeds the number of positions in a subdistrict, the election will be held even if a sufficient number of candidates withdraw so that the remaining candidates are equal to the number of positions to be filled.

1.12.3 Certification of Results 

Within seven (7) business days after receipt of the official election returns from the election authorities, at least a majority of the then-qualified members of the Board of Trustees will tabulate the results so received and declare and certify the candidate or candidates receiving the greatest number of votes and the result of balloting upon any question. Said certification will be duly noted in the official minutes of the Board meeting.