Any vacancy in the Council, shall be filled in the first instance by the appointment, by a majority of the remaining members of the Council, of an individual qualified under this Charter to serve as a member of Council. In the event Council fails to fill any vacancy within forty-five (45) days of the occurrence of such vacancy, then the Mayor shall fill such vacancy within ten (10) days. The individual appointed to fill the vacancy shall serve until a successor is elected and qualified at an election as provided herein; provided, however, that if the vacancy in Council occurs in the year that the regular election for that office is already scheduled, then the person appointed shall hold office through December 31 of that year.
For any vacancy in Council not occurring in the year that the regular election for that office is scheduled, an election for the unexpired term shall be held at the next general election occurring more than one hundred and twenty (120) days after the date of the vacancy. The term of a person elected to fill the vacancy at such election shall begin at the first regularly scheduled meeting of Council following the certification of electoral results of such election and shall extend for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Subject to the provisions of this Section III-4, persons desiring to become candidates for the office in which the vacancy arose shall file nominating petitions, with the election authorities prescribed by general law, not later than 4:00 p.m. on the ninetieth (90th) day before such election. Such petitions shall not be signed by any electors more than one hundred eighty (180) days prior to such election. Other than with regard to the time limits in this section applicable to the filing and signature of petitions, such nominating petitions shall be subject to the requirements of Article VII, Section 3 of the Charter, including the number of required signatures.
(Amended 11-7-72; 5-3-22.)