The term of office of all elected officers, other than
those first elected in newly created Boroughs, shall begin at 12:00 noon on
January 1, next after their election.
The Mayor shall hold office for four years and until
his/her successor shall have qualified. Members of Council shall hold office
for three years and until their successors shall have qualified. Their terms
shall be arranged so that the terms of two members of Council shall expire
at the end of each year.
Mayor. Whenever the Mayor shall present to the Council
his/her resignation from office, the resignation may be accepted by a vote
of the Council and the office of Mayor shall thereupon be deemed vacant. A
vacancy occurring in the office of Mayor, whether by resignation or otherwise,
shall be filled by the Council until the next annual election and until the
election and qualification of a successor. At the next annual election the
person elected to fill the vacancy shall be elected for the unexpired term
only.
Other elective offices. All vacancies in other elective
offices shall be filled by nomination by the Mayor and appointment by him/her,
with the advice and consent of the Council expressed by the vote of a majority
of the members of the Council present at the meeting; provided that at least
three affirmative votes shall be required for such purpose, the Mayor to have
no vote, except in the case of a tie.
Procedure. All vacancies occurring in any elective office shall be filled by appointment until January 1, following the next annual election and until the election and qualification of a successor. The procedure for making appointments, and in case of the failure to make or confirm the same, shall be as provided in § 38-5.
If a vacancy shall occur at so short a period of time
before the next annual election that the office cannot be filled at the election,
the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as though it had occurred immediately
after the election and the vacancy shall then be filled at the next subsequent
annual election for the portion of the term, if any, as may still remain unexpired.
At the next annual election the person elected to fill the vacancy shall be
elected for the unexpired term only.