(a)The elective officers of a city or town adopting the
city manager form of government are councilmen elected as
provided by law. There shall be three (3) councilmen in cities
and towns having a population of less than four thousand
(4,000), seven (7) in those having a population of four thousand
(4,000) or more but less than twenty thousand (20,000) and nine
(9)in those having a population of twenty thousand (20,000) or
more. The term of office of a councilman is four (4) years and
until his successor is qualified. Legislative authority is
vested in the council.
(b)Councilmen in a municipality adopting the city manager
form of government shall be elected at large, unless a petition
requesting an alternate method of selection by wards, or by a
combination of wards and at large, is appr
Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI
(a) The elective officers of a city or town adopting the
city manager form of government are councilmen elected as
provided by law. There shall be three (3) councilmen in cities
and towns having a population of less than four thousand
(4,000), seven (7) in those having a population of four thousand
(4,000) or more but less than twenty thousand (20,000) and nine
(9) in those having a population of twenty thousand (20,000) or
more. The term of office of a councilman is four (4) years and
until his successor is qualified. Legislative authority is
vested in the council.
(b) Councilmen in a municipality adopting the city manager
form of government shall be elected at large, unless a petition
requesting an alternate method of selection by wards, or by a
combination of wards and at large, is approved at a special
election on the question by a majority vote of the electors
voting on the question:
(i) Such petition shall be signed by not less than
ten percent (10%) of the qualified electors registered in the
municipality;
(ii) If the petition is for a combination of wards
and at large, it shall state the number of wards, the number of
councilmen to be elected from each ward, and the number of
councilmen to be elected at large. A petition seeking ward
representation or combination of wards and at large shall
contain the names of petitioners to serve on the ward boundary
committee;
(iii) The petition shall be filed with the city
clerk, who shall determine whether the petition is legally
sufficient;
(iv) If the petition is legally sufficient, the
question shall be submitted to the voters at a special municipal
election and shall be in the following form:
1. Shall the city councilmen be elected at large? Yes __ No __
2. Shall the city councilmen be elected by wards? Yes __ No __
3. Shall the city councilmen be elected by a combination of
wards and at large as follows:
(Here state the method of combination requested in the petition)
Yes __ No __
(v) The method approved by a plurality vote shall be
proclaimed adopted by the mayor. A copy of the proclamation
shall be mailed to the county clerk and the secretary of state;
(vi) If representation by wards or a combination of
wards and at large is adopted, ward boundaries shall be
determined by a committee composed of the governing body and an
equal number of petitioners designated in the petition, and
adopted by ordinance of the governing body. The creation or
elimination of wards shall take effect at the next regular
municipal primary and general elections;
(vii) If an alternate method of selecting councilmen
is not adopted at the special election, the question shall not
be submitted to the voters within four (4) years after the
election. If an alternate method of representation is adopted at
the special election, the question of changing the method of
representation shall not be submitted to the voters for ten (10)
years after the special election.