A. In the event that an employee association as defined in this Division includes at least thirty percent of the employees of the appropriate group established in this Division, it may petition the City Manager for recognition.

B. Upon receipt of such petition, the City Manager shall direct the City Clerk to conduct a representation election. The election shall be by secret ballot conducted among all employees covered by this Division and the ballot shall include, as choices, the petitioning association and such other associations as may present petitions containing the signatures of at least ten percent of the eligible employees and requesting inclusion thereon, and including also the choice for "none." Each eligible employee shall have the opportunity to vote for a representative among those on the ballot or for "none."

C. The association receiving a simple majority of all the votes cast by employees in the appropriate group, shall be, declared the authorized employee association, and recognized as the meeting and discussing representative for all employees in the group within thirty days of the declaration by the City Manager.

D. In an election where none of three or more associations receives a majority of the votes cast, a runoff election shall be conducted between the two choices receiving the largest number of votes.

E. If an employee association has been elected and recognized, the matter shall not be subject to another election until the year immediately preceding the expiration of the current agreement. (Ord. No. G-1536, § 1; Ord. No. G-4854, § 1, 2006)