General Municipal Elections

A General Municipal Election is held in November of every odd year. Four members of the City Council are elected during these elections. The three candidates receiving the highest number of votes each serve for a four-year term, and the candidate receiving the fourth highest number of votes serves for a two-year term.

The August Primary will be canceled if fewer than 9 candidates qualify. 

Candidate Filing Procedures 

Filing Deadline: Tuesday April 25th 2023 at 4:00 p.m.

More Information

Section 4.1 of the Rochester City Charter states that, “no person shall be eligible for any elective office of the City unless he or she is at least 25 years of age, a qualified registered elector in the City, and a City resident for at least one year before the election”.

The number of signatures needed on the Nominating Petitions, as required by Section 5.10 of the City Charter, cannot be less than 25 nor more than 50, of registered electors of the City of Rochester.

The Affidavit of Identity must be submitted with the Nominating Petitions, and must be notarized. If you need a notary at City Hall, please call (248) 733-3700 ahead to ensure a notary will be available.

The August Primary is canceled if less than 9 candidates file petitions. 

Due to an insufficient number of candidates, the August 2023 Primary is canceled. All qualified candidates will appear on the November 7th 2023 General Election.