FAIRHOPE, Ala. — If you don’t live in Fairhope but are interested in running for mayor or city council, you need to move — today.

Today is the deadline to become a resident of the municipality to become eligible to run for those offices.

Residents who already live in the city have between July 1-15 to file qualifying papers.

Residents that have raised or spent $1,000 in a campaign for elected positions have already become a “candidate” and are subject to certain filing deadlines.

Candidates must file initial qualifying papers, listing the names of their principal campaign committee, according to state law.

“It’s all about money and making things transparent,” said Rob Johnston, elections attorney with the Alabama Secretary of State, referring to the state campaign finance laws. “The law lets the public see where the money is coming from, and where it’s going.”

The Alabama Fair Campaign Practices Act regulates elections in the state, including municipal elections, providing a number of filing requirements and deadlines that candidates and elected officials must meet in order to comply with the law.

To date, the following people have announced they are running for mayor in Fairhope:

Jack Burell; Rick Gambino; Mayor Tim Kant; Dean Mosher; Chris Warner.

The following people have announced they are running for the five city council seats: Danny Corte (did not announce which place running for); Councilman Mike Ford (Place 4); Alan Hall (Place 5); Rick Kingrea (Place 5); John Meyer (did not announce which place); Lonnie Mixon (did not announce which place); Councilman Daniel Stankoski (Place 2); Councilwoman Debbie Quinn (Place 1).

Council members Cecil Christenberry (Place 3) and Bob Gentle (Place 5) announced they are not seeking re-election this year.

August15 is the last day to register to vote in the Aug. 26 municipal elections. Johnston said once a person becomes a candidate he must file initial qualifying papers with the probate judge and subsequent financial disclosure forms with that office.

“(The law) sets out rules for how candidates raise and spend money,” Johnston said, referring to the FCPA. “It specifies how finance committees should be run and how the funds should be reported.”

The probate court scans the campaign forms which are placed on its Web site. The office no longer maintains paper copies of the forms, so a person can only access the data through a personal computer or one at the courthouse.

Johnston said the law requires that the probate court make that information available to the public, but it does not audit the reports.

“Pre-election reports are required before any election in which the candidate's name is on the ballot,” he said, referring to two campaign finance reports that candidates must file.

Those reports are called 45-50 day and 5-10 day pre-election campaign disclosure forms, which refer to the time period before the date of the election by which they must be filed.

For the Fairhope municipal elections, candidates must file the first set of forms between July 9-14, and must file the second set of forms between Aug. 15-21.

“There are no provisions which limit contributions from individuals or Political Action Committees,” he said. “There is a limit for corporations to $500 per candidate per election.”

If there is a run-off in any of the elections, an additional pre-election campaign finance disclosure report must be filed between Sept. 26 and Oct. 2. The run-off election would occur Oct. 7.

The newly-elected officials take office Monday, Nov. 3. The city council meets that day for its first organizational session, according to the election laws.

“Since 1994, all state (campaign) filings are available electronically,” Johnston said.

That allows a person to do a historical review on the probate court Web site of all an incumbent’s financial disclosure forms, he said.

One local nonprofit organization, Citizens for Responsible Government, plans to hold a candidate forum, its president said last week. Discussions are currently underway with other groups to possibly hold a combined candidate forum which might occur in early August, according to the group.

Johnston said the failure of a candidate to file certain required forms can result in their name not being placed on the ballot, or being disqualified if their name is already on the ballot.