§ CH. 3.4. Election and terms.

The regular election of Councilmembers shall be held on the second Tuesday of April in each year, commencing in 2010. The terms of Council members shall be staggered so that each Council member shall serve a five year term and one Council member shall be elected each year; provided, however, that in order to effect the election of Council members according to staggered terms as set forth above, upon adoption of this section by the voters, the City Council shall assign each Council position a number, with the Council seats which expire in 2010 assigned numbers 1, 2 and 3 by lot, and Council seats which expire in 2012 assigned numbers 4 and 5 by lot. Council seat number 3 will be subject to election for five year terms commencing in 2010. Council seat number 1 will have its term extended one year to 2011, and will be subject to election for five year terms commencing in 2011. Council seat number 2 will have its term extended two years to 2012, and will be subject to election for five year terms commencing in 2012. Council seat number 4 will have its term extended one year to 2013, and will be subject to election for five year terms commencing in 2013. Council seat number 5 will have its term extended for two years to 2014, and will be subject to election for five year terms commencing in 2014.

No person may serve more than two terms of office as member of the City Council. This limitation on the number of terms of office shall apply prospectively only and terms of office that began before the effective date of this chapter shall not apply to the two term limit. The completion of any unexpired term to which a Councilmember was elected shall not be considered a term for the purposes of this chapter.

The City Council shall be the final judge of election results and the qualifications of its members. The City Council shall canvass the returns of an election on the first Tuesday following a City Council election or such other date within fifteen days of the election as may be provided by ordinance. The terms of each elected Council-member shall begin at the hour of the completion of the canvass of the election returns. In the absence of death, removal from office or disqualification, each Councilmember shall serve until expiration of his or her term and until a successor qualifies. (Adopted and ratified by voters at election of November 8, 2011)