Candidate Information

Running for City Office

Elections for City Elected Officials happen in April of every year. These positions include the Mayor and our seven City Council Seats.

• Mayor - Four-year term, will be on the ballot for the April 2026 Spring Election.
• Even Council Seats (Districts 2, 4, 6) - Two-year term, on the ballot every odd year at the April Spring Election.
• Odd Council Seats (Districts 1, 3, 5, 7) - Two-year term, on the ballot every even year at the April Spring Election.

Nomination Process

In order to be named on the ballot, candidates are required to file nomination paperwork with the Ashland City Clerk's Office in City Hall (601 Main St W). Nomination paperwork is available to be pulled by hopeful nominees in November ahead of a Spring Election. That paperwork is available in-person at the Ashland City Clerk's Office, under "Candidate Ballot Access Documents," or on the Wisconsin Elections Commission website. Candidates for City Elected Officials must reside within the boundaries of the Office they are seeking nomination for (See Wards & Districts Map).

All candidates are required by Wisconsin State Law to file the following with the City Clerk's Office:

• Campaign Finance Committee/Conduit Registration Statement (CF-1) (Required regardless of expenditures for campaign)
• Declaration of Candidacy (EL-162) (Requires a Notary, Notary Services are available at City Hall in the Clerk's Office at no cost for these forms and can be done when turning in all documentation)
• Nomination Signature Sheets (EL-169)
  • Mayoral Candidates require a minimum of 50 verified signatures
  • Council Candidates require  a minimum of 20 verified signatures

Note: All information provided on Nomination Documents is subject to Open Records requests.

Candidates will receive a receipt of filing Nomination Paperwork. Candidates will also receive confirmation that their nominating signatures are valid.

Nomination Signature Requirements

When a Nomination Signature form is filed with the City Clerk's Office, the form must be filled out completely and correctly. The City Clerk's Staff will review the documents before accepting them and allow for corrections to be made. While the minimums above apply, we always recommend gathering more signatures than required in the event that signatures are not able to be verified.

Signatures of Electors must come from eligible electors residing within the boundaries of the Office being sought. All columns must be filled out correctly:

• Signature of Elector column must contain the signatures of signer
• Printed Name of Electors must contain the printed name of signer
• Residential Address must contain the physical address (street number and street) of the signer
• Municipality of Residence must contain the appropriate check mark and name of municipality of the signer's residence
• Date of Signing must contain the date they signed the document (dates must precede the date of the Certification of Circulator)

Note: Signers may not sign more than one Nomination Signature Sheet for a given office. Should a signer sign multiple candidate sheets, only the first signature turned in will be counted. 

The City Clerk's Office will verify the signatures after filing. We will be checking for completeness, validate addresses are within the boundaries of the Office sought, verify voting eligibility (checking felon and/or adjudicated incompetent status), and dates.

If after verification, there are not sufficient signatures, candidates may gather additional signatures. It is recommended to turn in paperwork as soon as it is completed.

FAQs

• Is all of the paperwork necessary? Yes. Wisconsin State Statute requires all paperwork to be completed to be placed on the ballot for Municipal Offices.
• What if someone signs my sheet and they ask me to remove their signature? Candidates are under no legal obligation to remove a signature. However, in the interest of community service, Candidates may want to consider honoring their constituent's wishes by placing a line through their row on the Nomination Signature Sheet. Once nomination sheets have been submitted to the City Clerks Office, names cannot be removed from the Nomination Signature Sheet.
• Will these forms work for School Board, County Board, or other Elected Official Seats? Not necessarily, Candidates for positions other than City of Ashland seats should consult the Filing Officer for those Governmental Organizations; County Board - County Clerk, School Board - School District Clerk, for example.
• As a Candidate am I able to observe the election on Election Day or at In-Person Absentee Voting? No, under Wisconsin State Statute, candidates on the ballot are prohibited from being at the Polling Place except for the act of casting their own vote. Candidates lingering around the Polling Place on Election day will be asked to leave and may potentially be referred to Law Enforcement, the Wisconsin Elections Commission, and the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Candidates may, however, observe the end-of-night procedures after voting is completed.
• When can I expect the results of the Election? All Candidates will be notified by phone of the unofficial results of an election the day after Election Day. The Ashland County Clerk posts results as they are called in on Election Night. Official results will be made available by the Monday following Election Day, and written confirmation will follow.