(1) Any person desiring to become a candidate for the office of city council member under the commission plan of government shall file a candidate filing form as provided in sections 32-606 and 32-607 and pay the filing fee as provided in section 32-608.

(2) Candidates for city council under the commission plan of government shall be nominated at large either at the statewide primary election or by filing a candidate filing form if there are not more than two candidates who have filed for each position or if the city council waives the requirement for a primary election.

(3) The city council may waive the requirement for a primary election by adopting an ordinance prior to January 5 of the year in which the primary election would have been held. If the city council waives the requirement for a primary election, all candidates filing candidate filing forms by August 1 prior to the date of the general election as provided in subsection (2) of section 32-606 shall be declared nominated. If the city council does not waive the requirement for a primary election and if there are not more than two candidates filed for each position to be filled, all candidates filing candidate filing forms by the deadline prescribed in subsection (1) of section 32-606 shall be declared nominated as provided in subsection (1) of section 32-811 and their names shall not appear on the primary election ballot.