Petition packets available for Columbia’s 2026 City Council elections, filing begins next week
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Election packets for this upcoming April’s City Council elections in Columbia are available for pickup and filing begins on Tuesday, Oct. 28, according to a Wednesday press release from the city.
Races will be held for the Wards 1 and 5 council seats currently held by Valerie Carroll and Donald Waterman, respectively.
Petitions and instructions will be available at Columbia City Hall from 8 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. on weekdays, excluding holidays. The deadline to file is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. Election Day is Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
Candidates must obtain at least 50 signatures from residents who reside in the ward and are registered voters, the release says.
Potential candidates must be qualified voters and residents of the ward they wish to represent, the release says. They must also not hold “lucrative public office or any lucrative position in the City government during their terms,” the release says.