Subdivision 1. Mayor and Council. The council consists of the mayor, elected at large, two councilmembers, elected at large, and four councilmembers, all of whom are elected from separate districts as defined under this charter. The mayor and councilmembers must be registered voters and residents of the city. Councilmembers must be residents of the district from which elected. Removal from that district causes a vacancy in the office of councilmember from that district. Each councilmember serves for a term of four years and until a successor is elected and qualifies. The mayor serves for a term of four years and until a successor is elected and qualifies. The council judges the elections for the mayor and the councilmembers. Elections for the mayor and councilmembers must be held as provided in this section.
Subdivision 2. Districts. The city is divided into four separate districts. The boundaries of these districts are determined by ordinance based upon population according to the most recent federal decennial census. The council must enact an ordinance designating the boundaries of the City’s election districts as required by state law. The district boundaries must be drawn so that the number of persons in the most populous district does not exceed by more than five percent the number of persons in the least populous district at the time of redistricting. District boundaries must be formed by the centerlines of an east-west street and north-south street, and as those centerlines are extended. Street centerlines must be nearest to imaginary east-west and north-south lines which divide the population of the city into north-south and east-west halves. The centerline running east-west and dividing the population into a north and south half must be determined first and must be continuous. The centerlines dividing the population into east and west quarters must then be determined, and need not be continuous. Redistricting is a ministerial function of the council and can be enforced by a mandamus action brought by any registered voter. Failure to redistrict will result automatically in the withholding of salaries for councilmembers and the mayor. Salaries, including amounts withheld, will be paid upon completion of the required redistricting. The districts are known as:
(a) District Number 1 is the southeast quadrant of the city, as determined herein.
(b) District Number 2 is the southwest quadrant of the city, as determined herein.
(c) District Number 3 is the northwest quadrant of the city, as determined herein.
(d) District Number 4 is the northeast quadrant of the city, as determined herein.
Subdivision 3. Terms of Office. At the 1973 city election, the voters must elect one councilmember each from Districts 3 and 4 who serve for four years, one councilmember each from Districts 1 and 2 who serves for two years, and the mayor who serves for two years. In the 1975 election, the voters must elect one councilmember each from Districts 1 and 2 who serves for four years, the mayor who serves for two years, and one councilmember at large who serves for four years and one councilmember at large who serves for two years. Thereafter, and except as provided in Subdivision 4, there must be biennial city elections at which two councilmembers from elective districts and one councilmember at large must be elected and serve for four year terms and the mayor who serves for a two year term. Effective January 1, 1996, the mayor serves for a term of four years. Until the election provided in the provisions of this amendment, all elected councilmembers continue in their terms. The terms of office of the mayor and each councilmember commence on the first Monday of January following the election.
Subdivision 4. Redistricting and Elections. After redistricting has taken effect as provided in state law and this section, the offices of the four councilmembers elected by district must be filled in an election to be held in the next odd-numbered year. The terms of the councilmembers elected by district terminate on the first Monday in January of the next even-numbered year. Following redistricting, the initial terms of the councilmembers elected to Districts 1 and 2 are two years and the initial terms of the councilmembers elected to Districts 3 and 4 are four years.
(Section 2.03 amended November 6, 1973 by Referendum; Ord. 88-51, passed 7-25-1988; amended September 13, 1988 by Special Election; Ord. 91-22, passed 4-1-1991; amended November 3, 1992 by Special Election; amended November 8, 1994 by Special Election; Ord. 2004-8, passed 4-5-2004; Ord. 2010-15, passed 6-7-2010; Ord. 2022-35, passed 7-11-2022)