(A) Every elective office shall be vacant upon the happening of any of the events specified in Neb. RS 32-560, except as provided in Neb. RS 32-561.
(B) (1) Except as otherwise provided in divisions (C) or (D) below, vacancies in municipal elected offices shall be filled by the governing body for the balance of the unexpired term. Notice of a vacancy, except a vacancy resulting from the death of the incumbent, shall be in writing and presented to the governing body at a regular or special meeting and shall appear as a part of the minutes of the meeting. The governing body shall at once give public notice of the vacancy by causing to be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality or by posting in three public places in the municipality the office vacated and the length of the unexpired term.
(2) The Mayor shall call a special meeting of the governing body or place the issue of filling the vacancy on the agenda at the next regular meeting at which time the Mayor shall submit the name of a qualified registered voter to fill the vacancy for the balance of the unexpired term. The regular or special meeting shall occur upon the death of the incumbent or within four weeks after the meeting at which such notice of vacancy has been presented. The governing body shall vote upon the nominee, and if a majority votes in favor of the nominee, the vacancy shall be declared filled. If the nominee fails to receive a majority of the votes, the nomination shall be rejected and the Mayor shall, at the next regular or special meeting, submit the name of another qualified registered voter to fill the vacancy. If the subsequent nominee fails to receive a majority of the votes, the Mayor shall continue at that meeting to submit the names of qualified registered voters in nomination and the governing body shall continue to vote upon the nominations at such meeting until the vacancy is filled. All members of the governing body present shall cast a ballot for or against the nominee. Any member of the governing body who has been appointed to fill a vacancy on the governing body shall have the same rights, including voting, as if that person were elected.
(C) The Mayor and governing body may, in lieu of filing a vacancy in a city elected office as provided in division (B) above, call a special election to fill the vacancy.
(D) If vacancies exist in the offices of one-half or more of the members of the governing body, the Secretary of State shall conduct a special municipal election to fill those vacancies.
(1976 Code, § 1-105) (Ord. 751, passed 1-6-1984; Ord. 1015, passed 1-21-1991; Ord. 1461, passed 2-8-2016)
Statutory reference:
Related provisions, see Neb. RS 32-569