Sec. 2. Number - Term.
Commencing January 1, 20192027, said council shall be composed of seven members, eachone of whom shall be the mayor. Each member of the Council shall be an elector and shall have been a resident of the city of Palo Alto for at least thirty days next preceding the final filing date for nomination papers for such office. TheThe person elected to serve in the office of mayor shall be known as mayor. No person shall be eligible to serve as mayor unless they have served at least two years as a member of the council at the time they assume office. The remaining members of said council shall be known as councilmen, councilwomen,council member.
The term of office for mayor shall be two years, commencing on the first day of January next succeeding their election. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the council, in its discretion, may by ordinance increase the length of the term for the office of mayor from two years to four years or council members and theirdecrease the length of the term from four years to two years, with the increased or decreased term to commence after the expiration of the then current term of office for the mayor. Any partial term of office longer than half the term shall be deemed a full term. No person shall be eligible to serve consecutively in more than two full terms of office as a mayor.
The terms for the office of council member shall be four years, commencing on the first day of January next succeeding their election. The terms of council members who took office on July 1, 1977, shall expire on December 31, 1981. Commencing January 1, 1992, noAny partial term of office longer than two years shall be deemed a full term. No person shall be eligible to serve consecutively in more than two full terms of office as a member of the council. Any partial term of office longer than two years shall be deemed a full term. Terms of office commenced before January 1, 1992, shall not be counted when determining eligibility under this section.
Notwithstanding the above, commencing January 1, 2027, no person shall be eligible to serve as mayor and a member of the Council for more than twelve years in any sixteen-year period.
Sec. 8. Mayor - Election - Duties.
The council shall, at its first meeting in January, elect one of its number as its presiding officer, who shall have the title of mayor, and one of its number to be vice-mayor, who shall serve for one year after their election, and until their successors are elected and qualified. The mayor and vice-mayor shall serve until election and qualification of their successors. There shall be a mayor, elected at large, who shall serve as the presiding officer of the Council. The mayor shall preside at all meetings of the council, shall sign all official documents when the signature of the council or mayor is required by law, and shall act as official head of the city on public or ceremonial occasions. The mayor shall not have any regular administrative duties but may act as ex officio member of all boards, commissions, and committees. The mayor shall vote as other members of the council, but shall have no power of veto. The mayor shall have the power to administer the oaths and affirmations. The mayor shall perform such other duties as from time to time are assigned by the council. When the mayor is absent from any meeting of the council or incapable of performing his or her duties, the vice-mayor shall, during such time, have the full powers of the mayor. A vacancy in the position of mayor shall be filled by the council in accordance with Section 10 of this Charter.
Sec. 8.5 Vice Mayor – Election – Duties
The council shall, at its first meeting in January, elect a council member to be vice-mayor, who shall serve for one year after their election, and until their successors are elected and qualified. When the mayor is absent from any meeting of the council or incapable of performing their duties, the vice-mayor shall, during such time, have the full powers of the mayor. A vacancy in the positions of mayor or vice- mayor shall be filled by the council for the unexpired term.
Sec. 10. Vacancy on council.
A vacancy on the council may be filled by a majority of the remaining members of the council, and the appointee shall hold office until the first day of January succeeding the next election at which council members are to be elected. At the next election succeeding any vacancy a council member or mayor, in the case of vacancy in the office of mayor, shall be elected to serve for the unexpired term. If the council fails to fill such vacancy within 60 days of such vacancy or the council chooses to fill such vacancy by election, it shall forthwith call a special election, at which a council member or mayor shall be elected to serve for the unexpired term.