§ 14-45-102 - Election of aldermen.
14-45-102. Election of aldermen.
(a) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (a)(2) of this section, on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November 1982 and every two (2) years thereafter, the qualified voters of incorporated towns shall elect five (5) aldermen.
(2) (A) The town council of an incorporated town may refer to the voters an ordinance on the question of electing the five (5) aldermen to four-year terms.
(B) (i) The voters shall vote on the ordinance at a general election or at a special election called for that purpose.
(ii) The election to approve the four-year election procedure shall be held no later than February 1 of the year of the general election in which the procedure is proposed to be effective.
(C) If this procedure is adopted by an ordinance referred to and approved by the voters of the town, the initial terms for aldermen representing positions numbered one (1), three (3), and five (5) shall be four-year terms at the next general election and the initial terms for aldermen representing positions numbered two (2) and four (4) shall be two-year terms and thereafter four-year terms, resulting in staggered terms.
(D) (i) The town council may refer to voters an ordinance on the question of returning the town to electing aldermen to two-year terms using the procedures of subdivision (a)(2) of this section.
(ii) If the voters approve returning a town to two-year terms, all aldermen shall be elected to two-year terms at the next general election and thereafter.
(E) The town council may not refer to voters another question on electing aldermen to four-year terms or on returning the town to electing aldermen to two-year terms unless at least four (4) years have passed since the last election on changing the terms of aldermen.
(b) (1) A candidate shall designate which of the five (5) aldermen positions he or she is running for by noting it on the petition filed pursuant to 14-42-206 or by declaring to the county board of election commissioners the position currently held, subject to subdivision (a)(2) of this section.
(2) The county board of election commissioners shall accept those designations.