Section 3.04 Absence and Vacancy.

   (a)    Absence. When the Mayor is absent from the Municipality, or for any reason is unable to perform his duties as Mayor, the President of Council shall become the acting Mayor, and while so acting shall have and exercise all of the powers of the Mayor, but he shall not thereby cease to be the President of Council. In the event the President of Council is absent from the Municipality, or for any reason is unable to perform his duties as acting Mayor, the Vice President of Council shall become the acting Mayor, and while so acting shall have all the powers and duties of the Mayor, but he shall not thereby cease to be Vice President of Council.

   (b)    Vacancy. If the office of Mayor becomes vacant, the President of Council shall forthwith become Mayor and shall be qualified to fill said position within thirty (30) days after the date the vacancy occurs, as such date is determined by Council. The Vice President shall then become President of Council. The Vice President of Council is also qualified to become Mayor if for any reason the President of Council fails to qualify as Mayor. When the President or Vice President of Council ascends to the position of Mayor, he shall serve as Mayor until a successor is elected by the voters and qualified.

   Provided further that if a vacancy in the Mayor's office occurs within the first two years of the four year term, Council shall forthwith pass legislation fixing a special election for the office of Mayor in order that a Mayor shall be elected by the voters of the Municipality of Macedonia to serve during the remainder of the term of any Mayor who is for any reason unable to complete his term.

   Any vacancy occurring in Council by reason of the President or Vice President ascending to the Mayor's position, shall be filled pursuant to the provisions of 4.12 of Article IV and a new President or Vice President, as the case may be, shall be elected by Council.

If Council shall pass legislation to hold a special election for the office of Mayor under the provisions of this section, then no councilman shall be appointed to fill a vacant Council seat until after such special election and the councilman serving as Mayor shall have a vote in Council, until the date of the special election.