MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2016 Regular Session
To: Municipalities; Elections
By: Senator(s) Jolly
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 21-3-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE MUNICIPALITIES WITH A POPULATION OF 500 OR LESS TO ELECT THREE ALDERMEN; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 21-3-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
21-3-7. (1) Except as
provided in subsection (3) of this section, in all municipalities having a
population of less than ten thousand (10,000) according to the latest
available federal census, there shall be five (5) aldermen, which
aldermen may be elected from the municipality at large, or, in the discretion
of the municipal authority, the municipality may be divided into four (4)
wards, with one (1) alderman to be selected from each ward and one (1)
from the municipality at large. On a petition of twenty percent (20%)
of the qualified electors of any such municipality, the provisions of this
section as to whether or not the aldermen shall be elected from wards or from
the municipality at large shall be determined by the vote of the majority of * * * the qualified electors of * * * the municipality voting in a
special election called for that purpose. All aldermen shall be selected by
vote of the entire electorate of the municipality. Those municipalities which
determine to select one (1) alderman from each of the four (4)
wards shall select one (1) from the candidates for alderman from each
particular ward who shall be a resident of said ward by majority vote of the
entire electorate of the municipality.
(2) In all
municipalities having a population of ten thousand (10,000) or more,
according to the latest available federal census, there shall be seven (7)
aldermen, which aldermen may be elected from the municipality at large, or, in
the discretion of the municipal authority, the municipality may be divided into
six (6) wards, with one (1) alderman to be selected from each
ward and one (1) from the municipality at large. On a petition of
twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of any such municipality,
the provisions of this section as to whether or not the aldermen shall be
elected from wards or from the municipality at large shall be determined by the
vote of the majority of * * *such the qualified electors of * * * the municipality voting in a
special election called for that purpose. This section in no way affects the
number of aldermen, councilmen, or commissioners of any city operating under a
special charter. All aldermen shall be selected by vote of the entire electorate
of the municipality. Those municipalities which determine to select one (1)
alderman from each of the six (6) wards shall select one (1) of
the candidates for alderman from each particular ward by majority vote of the
entire electorate of the municipality.
(3) In any municipality having a population of five hundred (500) or less according to the latest available federal census, there may be three (3) aldermen. The change from five (5) aldermen to three (3) aldermen shall be approved by a majority of the qualified electors of the municipality voting in a special election held for this purpose.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016.