Applications opened on Monday for mayoral and city council candidates in the upcoming municipal election in Meridian. 

Party primaries are on April 6; if a run-off is necessary, it would take place on April 27. The general election is June 8.

The application deadline is Feb. 5 at 5 p.m., according to Brandye Latimer, the City of Meridian’s chief financial officer and city clerk.

She said that Republican or Democratic candidates for city council and mayor have to fill out a form, which they can pick up at city hall, and pay a $10 fee.

To qualify, independent candidates for mayor have to fill out a form and get signatures from 50 city residents who are registered to vote in the city. Independent candidates for city council have to fill out a form and receive signatures from 50 ward residents who are registered to vote in that ward.

Candidates for city council or mayor must be city residents who will have lived in the city for at least two years before the election date. They also have to be 18 years or older and cannot have committed certain felonies.

After candidates have submitted their applications, the Democratic and Republican parties have to qualify their parties’ candidates for them to run in the election, according to Latimer. The City Election Commission has to qualify independent candidates for them to run.

By late afternoon on Monday, Mayor Percy Bland, Ward 3 Councilwoman Fannie Johnson and Ward 2 Councilman Dwanye Davis had filed applications for re-election, Latimer said.

Ward 5 Councilman Weston Lindemann said in a news release on Monday that he intends to seek the office of mayor as an independent candidate. Meridian resident Randle Lyle Jennings indicated in a press release that he is running for mayor.