(a) Absence. When the Mayor is temporarily absent, inaccessible or unable for any cause or reason to perform his or her duties, the President of Council shall become the acting Mayor and while so acting shall have and exercise all of the powers of the Mayor with the exception of the termination of any officer or employee of the City, but shall not thereby cease to be President of Council. (Amended November 3, 1998)
(b) Vacancy. In the event the office of Mayor shall become vacant for any cause or reason, or if a Mayor-elect fails to qualify for office, the President of Council shall thereupon become Mayor and serve for the unexpired term or until the beginning of the term of a successor duly elected as hereinafter provided, and his or her office as President of Council shall become vacant.
In the event the President of Council is unable or declines to serve as Mayor, Council by a vote of the majority of the remaining members of Council shall appoint one of its members as Mayor to serve for the unexpired term or until the beginning of the term of the successor duly elected as hereinafter provided, and the office of the member of Council so appointed shall immediately become vacant.
(c) Absence of President of Council. In the event the President of Council shall be absent or inaccessible or for any reason unable to perform his or her duties as acting Mayor, the President Pro Tem of Council shall serve as acting Mayor.
(d) Election of Successor in the Event of Vacancy. In the event the office of Mayor shall become vacant, a successor for the unexpired term shall be elected as Mayor at a special election to be held on the day of the next regular Municipal election, provided that (1) such election shall occur more than two (2) years prior to the expiration of the unexpired term, and (2) the vacancy shall have occurred more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to such election. A President of Council or a Councilperson, who has become Mayor pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, may be a candidate to succeed himself or herself. In other instances in which the office of Mayor shall become vacant the provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply.