§ 14-43-304 - Mayors in cities having mayor-council government. - Arkansas Statutes

14-43-304. Mayors in cities having mayor-council government.

(a) (1) No mayor of cities of the first class having a mayor-council form of government shall be elected except by a majority vote of the qualified electors of the city.

(2) The provisions of this section shall not apply to a city of the first class with a city manager form of government or a city administrator.

(b) (1) As soon as the returns from all precincts are received, but in no event later than the seventh day after the election, the county board of election commissioners shall proceed to ascertain, from the certificates and ballots received from the several precincts, and declare the result of the election and deliver a certificate of his or her election to any person having the majority of legal votes for the office of mayor.

(2) The county board of election commissioners shall also file in the office of the clerk of the county court a certificate setting forth in detail the results of the election.

(c) (1) In the event that no candidate for mayor of a city of the first class receives a majority of the votes cast in the general election, the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be certified to a special runoff election that shall be held three (3) weeks from the day on which the general election is held.

(2) The special runoff election shall be conducted in the same manner as provided by law, and the election results thereof shall be canvassed and certified in the manner provided by law.

(d) In the event that a vacancy occurs in the office of mayor of these cities, the vacancy shall be filled by a special election and special runoff election, if necessary, as provided in subsection (c) of this section.