The Mayor and all four (4) City Council members shall be elected at large in the general election held in odd-numbered years, as further set forth herein. The term of office for the Mayor and each Council member shall be four (4) years, except in the case of vacancies as provided in the remaining paragraphs of this Section 3. The mayoral seat shall be elected separately from the city council seats, and a candidate for the mayoral seat must file and run as a candidate for that seat. The mayoral seat was first filled by election in 2007, and shall be elected every four (4) years thereafter (hereinafter mayoral election). City council seats shall be filled by election of the two candidates receiving the most votes for said seats in the general election. Two (2) city council seats shall be filled in the same general election as the mayoral election. The remaining two (2) city council seats shall be filled in the general election in the odd-numbered year immediately succeeding the mayoral election, and every four (4) years thereafter. The present Mayor and City Council members were elected in accordance with this schedule and shall retain their seats through their present four (4) year terms.
Vacancies in the City Council, other than the Mayor, shall be filled by the City Council for the remainder of the unexpired term. If the term of such City Council member whose place becomes vacant does not expire on the first day of January following the next regular municipal election, then such person chosen by the City Council shall serve only until such regular election, at which time a City Council member shall be elected to fill the remainder of the unexpired term.
When the office of Mayor becomes vacant, the Vice-Mayor shall become the Mayor and hold such office until his successor is elected, unless the Vice-Mayor declines to accept such position. If the Vice-Mayor declines to become Mayor, another City Council member would be appointed to become Mayor upon the concurrence of that member and three other members of City Council. If no City Council member is willing or able to be appointed as Mayor, City Council shall select a qualified elector of the City to fill the unexpired term of the Mayor. If the term of the vacant mayoral seat does not expire on the first day of January following the next regular municipal election, then the person filling the vacant mayoral seat, whether it be the Vice-Mayor, a member of City Council, or a qualified elector appointed by City Council, shall serve only until such next regular municipal election, at which time a qualified elector shall be elected to fill the remainder of the expired term.
If the Vice-Mayor or a member of City Council accepts appointment to the vacant mayoral seat, that council member would relinquish their seat as a council member, and their vacant seat would be filled in accordance with the terms of this Article II, Section 3.
When a vacancy occurs as the result of a recall election, such vacancy shall be filled in the manner provided for such cases.
(Amended 11-6-1990; 11-7-2000; 11-8-2005; 11-3-2009; 11-6-2018)