Except as reserved to the people by this Charter, the legislative power of the City shall be vested in a Council of nine members, eight members of whom shall be elected by separate, head-to-head elections in wards and shall be designated as Council Ward Members 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Council Ward Members 1, 3, 5, and 7 shall be elected to four year terms commencing December 1, 2011, and thereafter. Council Ward Members 2, 4, 6, and 8 shall be elected to two year terms commencing December 1, 2011, and a four year term thereafter. Commencing December 1 following the first regular Council election after passage of this amendment, no person may serve more than three full consecutive terms. Any person serving as a member of Council, pursuant to the provisions of Article II, Section 7, shall not have such service be considered a full term. The Council term commencing on December 1, 2011, and all council terms thereafter, will expire on December 31 at midnight. Thereafter all Council terms will being on January 1.
One member shall be elected city-wide as President of Council. The Council President shall be elected to a two year term commencing December 1, 2011, and shall be elected to a four year term thereafter. The term for the President of Council commencing on December 1, 2011, and all terms of the President of Council commencing thereafter, will expire on December 31 at midnight. Thereafter all terms for the President of Council will begin on January 1. The position of Council President shall be a separate and distinct term from the other eight council positions. An individual elected to the position of Council President may serve not more than three full consecutive terms as Council President, above and beyond, and irrespective of any previous continuous service as a council person. Any person serving as Council President, pursuant to the provisions of Article II, Section 7, shall not have such service be considered a full term.
Term limitations as contained in this Section, shall commence with the service of the four year terms of office without regard to any period of prior service as a Member of Council.
Any Member of Council elected or appointed to office under the provisions contained in Article II, Section 7, and such period being more than 27 months until the conclusion of the term, said Member of Council shall stand for election at the next municipal election to remain in that position for the balance of the term.
Members of the Council shall be electors of the City, shall have resided in the City, and Ward Councilmen shall have resided in their respective wards for at least one year immediately preceding their election, and shall hold no public office incompatible with that of Councilman. Council shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its own members.
Within sixty days after the proclamation of the Secretary of State announcing the population of cities of Ohio, as determined by the Federal census decennially taken, the Council shall re-divide the City into eight wards which shall be as nearly equal in population as is possible, each composed of contiguous and compact territory bounded by natural boundaries or street lines. Upon failure of the Council to redivide the City within the period provided, the Director of Law shall redivide it as herein provided and he shall file such plan with the Clerk of Council. This plan shall thereupon become the new division by ward of the City.
(Amended November 2, 1976; May 5, 1992; November 2, 1992; March 7, 2000; November 6, 2007; November 3, 2009; May 4, 2010.)