§ 5. Council—Composition; election of members; terms and vacancies.

(a)

Subject to paragraphs (b) through (f) of this section, on and after September first, nineteen hundred and twenty-eight, the council shall consist of seven members, who shall be elected at large from qualified voters of the city and they shall serve for a term of four years from the first day of September next following the date of their election and until their successors shall have been elected and qualify; provided, however, that at the first election held hereunder in nineteen hundred and twenty-eight, five councilmen shall be elected, three of the councilmen elected at said first election hereunder, shall succeed the three present councilmen, whose terms expire on August thirty-first, nineteen hundred and twenty-eight, and shall serve for a period of four years, and two of the councilmen elected at the first election hereunder shall serve for a period of two years; the councilmen to serve for the two-year period shall be determined by lot between the five councilmen elected at the first election hereunder at the first meeting of the council held in September, nineteen hundred and twenty-eight; and at the next election, four councilmen shall be elected to succeed the two present councilmen, whose terms expire on the thirty-first day of August, nineteen hundred and thirty, and the two councilmen elected at the first election hereunder to serve for two years, and at said election and each election thereafter, the councilmen elected to succeed those whose terms expire shall be elected for a period of four years.

(b)

On and after July one, nineteen hundred seventy-six, the council shall consist of seven members of whom four shall be elected from wards and three of whom shall be elected at large as hereinafter provided. The terms of councilmen elected in nineteen hundred seventy-six and thereafter shall begin July one, succeeding their election.

(c)

On March one, nineteen hundred seventy-six, the council in office shall divide the city into four wards with reasonably equal populations. Upon the completion thereof, notice shall be given by publication once a week for four successive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the city.

(d)

At the election to be held in May, nineteen hundred seventy-six, successors to four councilmen whose terms expire June thirty next shall be elected for a term of four years. The four councilmen shall be elected from and be registered voters in the wards established under paragraph (c) above with one councilman to be elected from each ward. At the same election to be held in May, nineteen hundred seventy-six, three successors to the councilmen whose terms expire in such year shall be chosen by election at large in the city to serve for terms of two years.

(e)

After May, nineteen hundred seventy-six, successors to the councilmen elected under paragraph (d) hereof shall be elected for terms of four years by ward or at large, as the case may be, depending upon whether the perspective office was filled by election at large or by ward.

(f)

The council shall be a continuing body and no measure pending before such body shall abate or be discontinued by reason of the expiration of the term of office or removal of the members of said body or any of them. Vacancies occurring in the membership of the council shall be filled by the council within thirty days for a term to expire when the qualified voters of the city at large or the ward in which the vacancy occurred, as the case may be, have elected a successor at the next ensuing general election for councilmen and the person so chosen has duly qualified. If the vacancy occurs in a ward, the successor so chosen shall be a registered voter of that ward. All vacancies filled by the council shall be by majority vote of the remaining members.

(Acts 1976, ch. 3, p. 4)

Cross reference— Council, § 2-16 et seq.

(Acts 1976, ch. 3, p. 4)

Cross reference

Council, § 2-16 et seq.