Subdivision 1. Former villages. In any city which was a village on January 1, 1974, and which has not, by timely action in 1974 or earlier, provided for biennial odd-numbered year elections there shall be a municipal election on November 5, 1974, at which there shall be elected the officers who would be elected at that election under the election schedule previously in effect, but they shall be elected for the terms specified in section 412.02, subdivision 1. If, at the 1974 or subsequent election three council members are to be elected in any statutory city, and contrary ordinance regulations have not been adopted under subdivision 3, the two persons receiving the highest vote shall serve for terms of four years and the person receiving the third highest number of votes shall serve for a term of two years. In any former village which has provided for biennial elections under section 412.022, subdivision 1, prior to 1974, the election schedule shall not be changed by the adoption of Laws 1973, chapter 123.
Subd. 2. Former cities and boroughs. In each municipality now operating under a general or special law providing for a biennial election, the city election shall continue to be held in the year in which the election would have been held if this law had not been enacted, but after Laws 1973, chapter 123 takes effect in the city, the city election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November and terms of officers elected shall conform to the provisions of section 412.02, subdivision 1. In any such municipality heretofore holding annual elections, a city election shall be held at the time previously prescribed until the application of Laws 1973, chapter 123, to the city, and thereafter the city election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November; but terms of officers chosen at those elections shall be those specified in section 412.02, subdivision 1. In any such municipality previously holding biennial elections, the city elections held after January 1, 1974, shall be held in the same year as previously, unless election in a different year is provided hereafter in accordance with section 205.07, subdivision 1.
Subd. 3. Transition intent. Whenever the establishment of the biennial system provided by Laws 1973, chapter 123, results in the expiration of any current term of office at a time when no city election is held in the months immediately prior thereto, each term is extended until the date for taking office following the next scheduled city election. It is the intent of Laws 1973, chapter 123, to put into effect as soon as practicable a statewide system of biennial elections in statutory cities and to do so without shortening terms of incumbents or lengthening those terms for more than one year plus the number of months required in any statutory city to move its election date from spring to November. To the extent necessary to provide for an orderly transition to the biennial election plan and schedule provided for in this section, the council may adopt supplementary ordinances regulating initial elections, officers to be chosen at such elections, and the terms of incumbents and those so elected.
Subd. 4. [Repealed, 1996 c 310 s 1]
Subd. 5. Other officers. Any statutory city previously operating as a city or borough under a general or special law which has established the office of city administrator by ordinance may continue the office in existence notwithstanding the provisions of Laws 1973, chapter 123.
History:1973 c 123 art 2 s 3; 1974 c 337 s 8-10; 1976 c 44 s 23; 1983 c 359 s 64; 1986 c 444; 1992 c 388 s 1