(a) Council shall declare the office of Councilmember or Mayor vacant upon death, resignation, violation of Section 2.03 of this Charter, recall in accordance with Section 6.01 of this Charter, conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude, or failure to attend three (3) consecutive regular meetings of the Council without being excused by a majority of the other members.
(b) The Council shall provide written notice by certified mail of its intention to consider whether to declare a vacancy in the Council to any affected Councilmember accused of conduct which gives rise to removal. The member shall be allowed thirty (30) days to respond to such notification.
(c) If a vacancy occurs on or before the second June 30 following the commencement of a term, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by a majority of the remaining members of Council; but such appointment shall expire immediately following the certification of the results of the next Council election. Whether or not such appointment was made, the vacancy for the unexpired term shall be filled at the next regular Council election. The three candidates with the highest number of votes shall be declared elected to full terms, and the next candidate or candidates shall be declared elected to the unexpired term or terms.
If a vacancy occurs after the second June 30 following commencement of a term, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment for the balance of the term.
In order to fill a vacancy on Council, Councilmembers shall have the opportunity on every ballot cast to vote for anyone of the qualified electors seeking appointment to Council who have submitted a letter requesting appointment to the Mayor or Acting Mayor within fifteen (15) days following the official public announcement by the Mayor or Acting Mayor of a vacancy on Council. The Mayor or Acting Mayor shall make such public announcement at the first Council meeting after the vacancy is established declared.
(d) If a vacancy occurs in the office of Mayor on or before the second June 30 following the commencement of a term, the Vice Mayor shall become Mayor, and shall remain in that office until the certification of the results of the next Councilmanic election, at which time a Mayor shall be elected for a two-year term. The resulting vacancy on Council shall be filled in accordance with Section 2.11(b). Council shall then elect one of its members to be Vice Mayor until the next Reorganization Meeting of Council.
(e) If a vacancy occurs in the office of Mayor after the second June 30 following commencement of a term, the Vice Mayor shall become Mayor, and the resulting vacancy on Council shall be filled in accordance with Section 2.11(b). Council shall then elect one of its members to be Vice Mayor until the next Reorganization Meeting of Council.
(f) If a vacancy on Council occurs and no appointment to fill the vacancy can be made because no qualified candidate for appointment receives a majority vote of the remaining Councilmembers within thirty days of the official announcement that a vacancy exists, the Mayor shall appoint within thirty days thereafter, one of the qualified candidates to fill the vacancy. (Amended November 6, 1985)