A. Vacancy Defined. An office shall be deemed or considered vacant as provided for in ARS 38-291. For the purposes of the Article governing the Mayor, Vice-Mayor, and Council Members, the words, terms, and phrases defined in this Article hereunder, but not limited to, shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context.

B. Office of Mayor. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Mayor, the Vice-Mayor shall succeed to the office of Mayor. Any successor to the office shall become Mayor-in-Fact and entitled to all of the emoluments, powers, and duties of Mayor upon taking the oath of office.

A special election shall not be held to elect a new Mayor, but the Vice-Mayor shall act in the Mayor’s stead until the end of the term for which the Mayor was elected or the end of the term to which the Vice-Mayor was elected, whichever comes first. If a vacancy is created in the office of Mayor due to the expiration of the Vice-Mayor’s term, the Council shall elect a Vice-Mayor for the remainder of the original Mayor’s term from among the Council.

C. Office of Vice-Mayor. In the event a vacancy is created in the office of Vice-Mayor, the Council shall elect one of its remaining members to fill the vacancy in accordance with this Article.

D. Office of Council Member. In the event of a vacancy created in the office of Council Member, the Council shall fill such vacancy, by appointment, until the next regularly scheduled Council election if the vacancy occurs more than thirty (30) days before the nomination petition deadline for that election, otherwise for the unexpired term of that vacancy. The individual appointed by the Council to fill a vacancy among the membership of the Council pursuant to ARS 9-235, must also meet the qualifications of ARS 9-232(A). ((O)11-19, 07/06/2011; (O)01-22, 09/19/2001)