While presidential candidates try to get their support for next year’s caucuses, Fort Dodge voters will be turning their attention to a quickly approaching local election.

In November, they will pick five of the seven City Council members.

They will elect one at-large member of the council and the council representatives from all four wards.

The at-large seat is held by Councilman Neven Conrad.

The council members elected from the wards are Terry Moehnke (Ward 1), Dean Hill (Ward 2), Dave Flattery (Ward 3) and Kim Alstott (Ward 4).

None of those council members have announced if they will seek re-election.

The general election will be held on Nov. 5.

A primary election, if needed, will be held on Oct. 8. But a primary election will only be held for races in which there are more than two candidates. The top two vote-getters in a primary election would advance to the general election.

To get on the ballot, candidates must file nominating petitions at the City Clerk’s office. The petitions must be signed by a specified number of people that is based on the number of people who voted for that office in the last general election, according to Deputy City Clerk Dawn Siebken.

She said these are the minimum number of signatures the petitions must have for each council seat:

• 46 for council at-large

• 10 for Ward 1

• 10 for Ward 2

• 20 for Ward 3

• 23 for Ward 4

Ward 1 includes western Fort Dodge, part of downtown and Pleasant Valley.

Ward 2 is the southern portion of the city.

Ward 3 is the northeastern part of the city.

Ward 4 is the north central part of the city.

Blank petition forms and other documents candidates need can be obtained at the City Clerk’s office in the Municipal Building, 819 First Ave. S. They can also be found online at www.fortdodgeiowa.org.

The first day to file petitions is Aug. 12.

All petitions must be submitted to the City Clerk’s office by 5 p.m. Aug. 29.