Alabama § 11-43A-16 - Duties of Mayor; Assistant Mayor; Vacancy; Mayor Pro Tempore; Vacancies; Exceptions in Class 6 Cities and Class 7 Municipalities.

§ 11-43A-16. Duties of Mayor; Assistant Mayor; Vacancy; Mayor Pro Tempore; Vacancies; Exceptions in Class 6 Cities and Class 7 Municipalities.

(a) The mayor shall preside at the meetings of the council and shall be recognized as the head of the municipal government for all ceremonial purposes and by the Governor for purpose of military law, but shall have no other administrative duties.

(b) In all cities to which this section applies, except Class 6 cities wherein the municipal governing body has elected to have a nine-member council, as authorized in Section 11-43A-8, and except in municipalities organized under Section 11-43A-1.1, the councilman-at-large shall be assistant mayor and shall act as mayor during the absence or disability of the mayor. Any vacancy in the office of the mayor shall be filled by the councilman-at-large. In the Class 6 cities and municipalities organized under Section 11-43A-1.1, a mayor pro tempore shall be elected from the membership by a majority vote of the council at its first meeting following its election. The mayor pro tempore shall act as mayor during the absence or disability of the mayor. Any vacancy in the office of the mayor shall be filled by the mayor pro tempore. Any vacancies on the council, except that of the office of mayor, shall be filled by the council at the next regular meeting of the council following the date of the vacancy. The election of a new councilman shall require the affirmative vote of at least three members in all cities to which this section applies, except in Class 6 cities wherein the municipal governing body has elected to have a nine-member council, as authorized in Section 11-43A-8, and in the Class 6 cities the election shall require the affirmative vote of five members and in municipalities organized under Section 11-43A-1.1, the election shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of the elected members of the council. A vacancy in one of the district council seats shall be filled by a person who shall reside within the district from whence the vacancy arose.

(c) Notwithstanding subsection (b), in Class 7 municipalities that have adopted a council-manager form of government consisting of a mayor and four council members elected at-large, the council, at its first meeting after election, by majority vote, shall elect a mayor pro tempore from its membership. The mayor pro tempore shall preside during the absence or disability of the mayor. Any vacancy in the office of the mayor shall be filled by the mayor pro tempore. Any vacancy on the council, except for the office of mayor, shall be filled by the council at its next regular meeting following the vacancy. An affirmative vote of the council is required to fill the vacancy.