Elections

Municipal Elections

Municipal elections are held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in April each year.

The office of Mayor is a 2-year term and one candidate shall be elected in odd-numbered years. Candidates must be:

  • 25 years of age
  • United States citizen
  • Resident of the City for at least 1 year 
  • Registered as a voter within the City for at least 1 year
  • Up to date on state income taxes, personal property taxes, and real property taxes

The office of Alderman is a 2-year term. Each year, one candidate from each ward shall be elected. Candidates must be:

  • 21 years of age
  • United States citizen
  • Resident of the City for at least 1 year
  • Resident of the ward for which he/she is elected
  • Registered as a voter within the City for at least 1 year
  • Up to date on state income taxes, personal property taxes, and real property taxes

All candidates must provide proof of identity (see Sections 115.306 and 115.357, RSMo):

  • Voter identification card
  • Missouri Driver's License


Other Candidate Requirements:
Per Section 115.306 RSMo, no person shall qualify as a candidate for elective public office in the state of Missouri who has been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony or misdemeanor under the federal laws of the United States of America or to a felony under the laws of this state or an offense committed in another state that would be considered a felony in this state.

Any person who files as a candidate for election to a public office shall be disqualified from participation in the election for which the candidate has filed if such person is delinquent in the payment of any state income taxes, personal property taxes, municipal taxes, real property taxes on the place of residence, as stated on the declaration of candidacy, or if the person is a past or present corporate officer of any fee office that owes any taxes to the state.


Anyone who meets the above qualifications and  wishing to file for candidacy of Mayor or Alderman may do so at the office of the City Clerk in the month of December. Specific dates are designated each year by the Missouri Secretary of State with filing to begin the 17th Tuesday prior to election and ending on the 14th Tuesday prior to election. An ordinance pertaining to the municipal election and dates for filing candidacy is passed each year in the month of November at the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Aldermen.

2026 Municipal Election Important Dates to Remember:
Filing will open on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at 8:00 am and continue during City Hall’s regular business hours until Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at 5:00 pm.

All candidates declaring candidacy must provide:
1. Proof of identity in the form of a Voter Identification Card and Missouri Driver's License. 
2. Proof of filing Missouri Department of Revenue Form 5120.

New Requirement for the 2026 Municipal Election:
Each potential candidate for election to a public office shall electronically file an affidavit (Form 5120) with the Missouri Department of Revenue. Once complete, the individual will receive an email with an encrypted link to their completed Form 5120. Candidate must provide a copy of the 5120 at the time of filing with their Declaration of Candidacy that includes the date and time the form was submitted to the Department of Revenue.

For complete information regarding municipal elections, please visit Chapter 105 in the Municipal Code of the City of Willow Springs, Missouri.


Wards

Ward I - West side of Harris (137 and 76)
Ward II - East side of Harris


Primary and General Election

County, State, and Federal primary elections are held on the first Tuesday of August each year, with the general election being the first Tuesday of November each year. If you do not know your polling location, please contact the Howell County Clerk's office at 417-256-2591.

You may also check your voter registration card for your polling location:

  • Willow Springs 1 - Ozarks Family YMCA, 405 W Main.
  • Willow Springs 2 - First Baptist Church, 402 N Harris.

For the election calendar, please visit the Missouri Secretary of State's website.

Not registered to vote? You may visit the Howell County Clerk's office at 35 Court Square, Room 200, West Plains MO 65775. You may also visit the Missouri Secretary of State's website and complete a voter registration application online.


Campaign Signs

Section 425.080 provides the following regulations regarding the placement of campaign signs inside city limits:

  1. Maximum size six (6) square feet in face area in residential districts.
  2. Maximum size thirty-two (32) square feet in face area in commercial and industrial areas.
  3. Shall be placed back of the property line.
  4. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to have these signs removed not later than seven (7) days after the election or event and they shall not be erected earlier than thirty (30) days prior to the election or event to which they pertain.
  5. There shall be no political signs on any public utility pole.

For additional information regarding the placement of campaign signs inside city limits, please visit Section 425.080 in the Municipal Code of the City of Willow Springs, Missouri.