The first election hereunder shall be held on the first Tuesday in January, one thousand nine hundred and eight, at which election all of the officers provided for in § 3 shall be elected. The term of office of all persons elected at said first election shall begin February one, one thousand nine hundred and eight and shall be until their successors are elected and qualified. The next election hereunder shall be held on each year thereafter on the first Thursday in April. The term of office of all persons elected at the election held hereunder in one thousand nine hundred and nine and all succeeding elections shall be for two years, except that of mayor and recorder, which shall be for one year, and until their successors are elected and qualified, unless sooner removed in the manner provided by law. At said election held on the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred and eight, two members of the council shall be elected in each ward in said city who shall reside in the ward for which they are elected, and the candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected for two years and the candidate receiving the next highest number of votes shall be elected for one year from the first day of day next succeeding his election, and shall hold their offices until their successors are elected and qualified, and on the first Monday in April in each succeeding calendar year one member of the council shall be elected in each ward, whose term of office shall begin on the first day of May next succeeding his election and continue for a term of two years and until his successor is elected and qualified; but shall thereby become vacant, and the common council shall fill the said vacancy by appointment until the next general election of some one residing in the ward who is eligible to the office.
All appointed officers shall hold their office during the pleasure of the common council.
The election shall be held and conducted and the result thereof ascertained, certified, returned and determined under the constitution and general laws of the state governing municipal elections, and shall conform as nearly as practicable to such laws. Contested elections shall be heard and decided by council, and the proceedings therein shall conform as nearly as may be to similar proceedings in the case of county and district officers. The council shall be the judge of the election, return and qualification of its own members. In case two or more persons receive an equal number of votes for the same office, if such number be the highest cast for such office, the persons under whom the supervision is held shall decide by lot which of them shall be returned elected, and shall make their return accordingly.