§ 33:383 — Municipal elections; term of office; filling vacancies; officers holding over under new

§383. Municipal elections; term of office; filling vacancies; officers holding over under new
form of government
A.(1) Except as otherwise provided by this Subsection and R.S. 33:383.2, municipal
elections shall be held every four years on the date for municipal and ward elections in
accordance with R.S. 18:402(D). The officers elected shall take office on the first day of July
following their election and shall hold their office for four years.
(2)(a) Any municipality by ordinance of the governing authority may adopt a plan
for holding municipal elections at the congressional elections in accordance with R.S.
18:402(C)(2). Any plan so adopted shall be filed with the secretary of state not less than one
year prior to the opening of the qualifying period for the congressional primary election at
which municipal officers shall be elected initially under the plan. This election shall be the
first congressional primary election after termination of the terms of office to which
municipal officers in office on the effective date of this Subsection were elected.
(b) No such plan shall be revocable by the governing authority.
(c) Any municipality that complies with the provisions of this Paragraph may hold
municipal elections at the congressional elections in accordance with R.S. 18:402(C)(2).
(d) The officers elected shall take office on the first day of January following their
election and shall hold their office for four years.
(3)(a) Any municipality by ordinance of the governing authority may adopt a plan
for holding municipal elections at the gubernatorial election in accordance with R.S. 18:402.
Any plan adopted pursuant to this Paragraph shall be filed with the secretary of state no later
than January 12, 2027.
(b) No such plan shall be revocable by the governing authority of the municipality.
(c) Any municipality that complies with the provisions of this Paragraph may hold
its municipal elections at the fall gubernatorial election in accordance with R.S. 18:402. The
first election under the plan shall be held at the 2031 gubernatorial election.
(d) The officers elected under the plan shall take office on the first day of July
following their election and shall hold their office for four years. However, the municipal
officers of a municipality that complies with Subsection A of this Section who are elected
at municipal elections held at the same time as the 2027 spring municipal election, as
provided by R.S. 18:402, shall serve until their successors elected under the plan take office
on July 1, 2032.
B. If no election is held on the day herein prescribed or if a vacancy in any municipal
office elective by the people occurs or if an officer elected fails to qualify, such vacancy shall
be filled in accordance with the provisions of Article VI, Section 13 of the Constitution of
Louisiana or as otherwise provided by law.
C. Any vacancy in a municipal office to which the officer is elected or appointed by
the mayor and board of aldermen may be filled for the term by the mayor and board of
aldermen at any regular or special meeting.
D. Officers of a municipality who are in office when the municipality elects to come
under the provisions of this Part under R.S. 33:322, shall retain their offices until the first
election under this section, with the powers of like offices under this Part.
{{NOTE: SEE ACTS 1984, NO. 829, §2.}}

Legislative History

Amended by Acts 1970, No. 122, §1; Acts 1984, No. 829, §1, eff. July 13, 1984; Acts 1987, No. 413, §1; Acts 2003, No. 693, §1; Acts 2018, No. 395, §1, eff. May 22, 2018; Acts 2022, No. 402, §1; Acts 2025, No. 354, §2.