(a)(1) A vacancy in the office of city council member in any Class 7 or Class 8 municipality shall be filled by the city council at the next regular meeting or any subsequent meeting of the council. The person elected shall hold office for the unexpired term. In the event a vacancy is not filled within 60 days after it occurs in a Class 7 or Class 8 municipality, each existing city council member, including the mayor, may submit a name to the Governor for appointment. If the Governor fails to make an appointment from any submitted names within 90 days after the vacancy occurs, the judge of probate shall call a special election to fill the vacancy.
(2) In the event the Governor is unable or unwilling to make the appointment within the time period provided, he or she shall immediately notify the judge of probate of the county.
(3) Any election called pursuant to this section shall be conducted pursuant to Chapter 46 of this title.
(4) In the event more than one vacancy exists in the office of city council member or in the office of mayor, or both, all vacancies shall be filled in the same manner.
(b) In any election held pursuant to this section, only qualified electors who are residents of the municipality shall be eligible to vote and shall present proof of identification to the pollworkers before casting a vote. The identification may be in the form of a valid Alabama driver's license or some other form of identification that confirms a permanent address in the city where the vote is to be cast. Other forms of identification may include, but are not limited to, a credit card, birth certificate, food stamp card, Social Security card, check cashing card, library card, passport, school record, work identification record, school identification, certified copy of a marriage license, any form of governmentally-issued identification, or Medicaid, Medicare, or welfare identification.
Last modified: May 3, 2021