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League of Minnesota Cities Model Ordinance:5/31/2023 <br />Providing for Special Elections to Fill Council Vacancies Page 1 <br />Providing for Special Elections to Fill Council Vacancies, LMC Model <br />Ordinance <br />League staff thoughtfully develops models for your city’s consideration. Models should be customized as <br />appropriate for an individual city’s circumstances in consultation with the city’s attorney. Helpful <br />background information on this model may be found in the Information Memo “City Special Elections.” <br />This icon marks places where the city must customize the model. They offer <br />additional provisions, optional language, or comments for your consideration. The <br />icon, and language you do not wish to include, should be deleted from this model <br />before use. Make other changes, as needed, to customize the model for your city. <br />ORDINANCE NO. _____ <br />This is an optional ordinance that calls for special elections to be held at a time other than <br />a general election. <br />If a city must hold a special election to fill a long-term vacancy there are two options. <br />First, the city can hold the special election to fill a vacancy on council at the same time as <br />the next regular city election. This seems to be the most common scenario. Second, the city <br />may hold a special election before the next general election. To do so, the city council <br />must adopt an ordinance that specifies under what circumstances this will be done. There <br />are two options for this type of ordinance. One way is to pass an ordinance that will apply <br />to all future special elections. This model ordinance is intended to address this situation. <br />The other way is to pass an ordinance that applies only to one particular special election. <br />This model ordinance may be modified to fit this purpose. <br />AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR SPECIAL ELECTIONS TO FILL CERTAIN <br />VACANCIES IN ELECTED OFFICES AT TIMES OTHER THAN THE REGULAR <br />CITY GENERAL ELECTION <br />The City Council of _____, Minnesota ordains: <br />SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS <br />For the purposes of this ordinance, the following terms shall have the following meanings: <br />City.The City of __________, County of __________, State of Minnesota. <br />General Election.A “general election” is an election held at regular intervals on a day <br />determined by law or charter at which the voters of the state or any of its subdivisions <br />choose by ballot public officials or presidential electors. <br />Special Election.A “special election” is an election held at any time to fill vacancies in <br />public offices. <br />36