SECTION 4. All officers elected or appointed under this act, except Aldermen shall hold their offices for one year and until the election or appointment and qualification of their successors, respectively. All other officers mentioned in this act, and not otherwise officially provided for, shall be appointed by the City Council, by ballot, on the second Monday of April, in each year, or as soon thereafter as may be; but the City Council may specially authorize the appointment of watchmen and policemen by the Mayor, to continue in office during the pleasure of the City Council: Provided, the Mayor or marshal may be authorized to remove them from office for good cause. All officers elected or appointed to fill vacancies shall hold for the unexpired term, only, and until the election or appointment and qualification of their successors.
SECTION 5. No person shall be eligible to the office of Mayor who shall not, after the first election held under this charter, have been a resident of the City for one year next preceding his election, or who shall be under twenty-one (21) years of age, or who shall not at the time of his election be a citizen of the United States, and shall be a freeholder of property located within the bounds of said City.
SECTION 6. No person shall be an Alderman unless he shall be, at the time of his election twenty-one (21) years of age, a citizen of the United States, a resident of the ward for which he is elected, and shall be a freeholder of property located within the bounds of said City, and, after the first election under this charter, shall have resided one year within the limits of said City.
SECTION 7. If, from any causes there shall not be a quorum of Aldermen, the Clerk shall appoint the time and place of holding a special election to supply such vacancies, and appoint judges thereof, if necessary, if any Alderman shall remove from the ward represented by him, his office shall thereby become vacant. If, from any cause, the officers herein named shall not be appointed on the second Monday of April, in each year, the City Council may adjourn from time to time until such appointments are made. If there should be a failure by the people to elect any officers herein required to be elected, the City Council may forthwith order a new election.
SECTION 8. Any officer elected or appointed to any office, may be removed from such office, by a vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the Aldermen authorized by law to be elected; but no officer shall be removed except for good cause, nor unless first furnished with the charges against him, and heard in his defense. And the City Council shall have power to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of papers, when necessary for the purpose of such trial; and shall proceed within ten (10) days, to hear and determine upon the merits of such case; and if such officer shall neglect to appear and answer such charge, then the City Council may declare such office vacated: Provided, this section shall not be deemed to apply to any officer appointed by the City Council, such officer may be removed at any time by a vote of three-fourths (3/4) as aforesaid, in their discretion; but any officer may be suspended until the disposition of the charges when preferred.
SECTION 9. Whenever any vacancy shall occur in the office of Mayor or Alderman, such vacancy shall be filled by a new election; and the City Council shall order such special election within ten (10) days after the happening of such vacancy. Any vacancy occurring in any other office may be filled by appointment of the City Council; but no special election shall be held to fill vacancies if more than nine (9) months of the time has expired.
SECTION 10. All citizens of the United States, resident in said City, and qualified to vote at any election held under this act, shall be qualified to hold any office created by this act, except as herein otherwise provided; but no person shall be eligible to any office under this or any other act in relation to said City, who is now or may hereafter be a defaulter to said City, or the state of Illinois; and any person shall be considered a defaulter who has refused or neglected, or may hereafter refuse or neglect, for thirty days after demand made, to account for and pay over to the party authorized to receive the same, any public money which may have come into his possession. And if any person holding any such office or place within the City shall become a defaulter while in office, the office or place may thereupon be declared vacant by the City Council.