Columbia Number and Term ordinance (Charter § 5)

The council shall consist of seven (7) members, each of whom shall be elected for a term of three (3) years and shall serve until a successor shall be elected and qualified, except as otherwise provided herein. One of the seven

(7) council members shall be elected by the qualified voters of the city at large and shall be the mayor. The other six

(6) council members shall be elected, one from each ward, by the qualified voters thereof. The terms of the council members shall be staggered in such a manner that two (2) of the council members shall be elected each year, provided that the council member-at-large shall be elected every third year as hereinafter provided.

Prior to the effective date of this section, a lottery shall be conducted in a manner established by ordinance to determine which council members by ward are to be elected for one-, two- and three-year terms, such foreshortened terms being established for the purpose of staggering terms thereafter. The council member-at-large shall be elected to a three-year term. The elections conducted at the effective date of this ordinance shall provide for the respective one-, two- and three-year terms. Each council member thereafter elected shall be elected to a full three-year term unless sooner removed in accordance with the other provisions herein. The effective date of this section shall be April 5, 1983.

(Passed by voters April 7, 1981; Ord. No. 15113, § 1, 1-16-97)