Obtain a Certificate of Nomination to File for Office

In addition to the filing fee and candidate clearance required of all candidates, mayoral, comptroller and aldermanic candidates must also fill out a Certificate of Nomination.

A certificate of nomination is a list of signatures from registered voters in St. Louis City stating that they endorse you as a candidate for office. You must submit this certificate at the time that you file for office.

1. Determine the number of signatures you will need to support your candidacy.
   • An Alderperson needs at least two percent (2%) of the votes cast for Mayor at the last general municipal election in the ward in which the candidate intends to run for office.
   • A Mayor or Comptroller needs at least two percent (2%) of the votes cast for Mayor at the previous mayoral election.
2. Download and print the certificate of nomination for your candidacy. There are ten signature fields per page, so you will need multiple copies.

1. Obtain Signatures

You may obtain the signatures yourself and/or have campaign staff members or volunteers obtain them.

Each registered voter signing the certificate must declare that they are a bona fide supporter of your candidacy for office, and that they have not aided, and will not aid, in the nomination of any other candidate for that office.

All signatures must be original, not electronic, signatures.

2. Notarize Signatures

The individual who gathers the signatures on a given page on behalf of the candidate must sign that page before a notary, attesting to the fact that the registered voters signed that page of the certificate in the presence of the person gathering the signatures.

3. Present Certificate to Board of Elections

You must file this certificate with the Board of Elections before your name will be placed on the Primary Municipal Election ballot. Upon filing the certificate with the Election Board office, the office will check the number of signatures and provide you with a receipt confirming that you submitted the certificate. 

Bring your certificate, your filing fee and your candidate clearance form to:

Board of Election Commissioners
300 N. Tucker Blvd.
St. Louis, Missouri 63101

The Board of Elections will also verify each of your signatures to determine that they are bona fide registered voters.

If the certificate has been signed by fewer than the required bona fide registered voters, you will be notified and be given an opportunity to correct this deficiency. Please note, however, that you will lose your place on the ballot until the deficiency has been corrected. Your ultimate position on the ballot will be determined by when the Election Board receives the requisite number of verified signatures.

All deficiencies must be corrected prior to the close of the filing period, so it is in your best interest to begin this process early.