Any person desiring to become a candidate at any election for the office of mayor may become such candidate by filing in the office of the city clerk a statement in writing of such candidacy, accompanied by a petition signed by a minimum of 100 registered voters of such city endorsing the candidacy of such candidate and an affidavit taken and certified by such city clerk or by a notary public that such person is duly qualified to hold the office for which he (she) desires to be a candidate. Such statement shall be filed by 5:00 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday in June preceding the day set for such election and shall be in substantially the following form:

“State of Alabama, _____ County. I, the undersigned, being first duly sworn, depose and say that I am a citizen of the City of _____, in said State and County, and reside at _____ in said City of _____, that I desire to become a candidate for the office of mayor in said City at the election for said office to be held on the _____ day of _____ and that I am duly qualified to hold said office if elected thereto and I hereby request that my name be printed upon the official ballot at said election.

Signed ________;

Sworn to and subscribed before me by said _____ on this _____ day of _____, 2__, and filed in this office for record on said day _____, City Clerk.”

Said statement shall be accompanied by a qualifying fee in the amount equal to $300.00 which qualifying fee shall be paid over by the city clerk to the general fund of the city. Any person may file with the city clerk, a verified pauper’s oath that he (she) does not have the financial resources to pay a qualifying fee and thereupon shall be exempt from filing such fee. No names shall appear upon said ballot as a candidate for election except the names of such persons as have become candidates according to provisions of this chapter.