Sec. 1015a. Councils of cities.
There shall be in every city a council. In cities of ten thousand
or more population it shall consist of two branches, having
a different number of members, one of which shall be called the
"common council," and be composed of not less than fourteen nor
more than forty members, and the other shall be called the
"board of aldermen," and be composed of not less than eight
nor more than twenty-two members. In cities of under ten thousand
population the council shall consist of only one branch, which
shall be called its common council, and be composed of not less
than eight nor more than forty members. The members of the
council of each city, and of each branch thereof, when the council
consists of two branches, shall be residents of their respective
wards and qualified voters therein, and shall be elected by the qualified
voters of such wards, and, so far as practicable, each ward in
every city shall have equal representation in the council, and in
each branch thereof, where it consists of two branches, in proportion
to the population of such ward. The members of every
council, and of each branch thereof, when it consists of two
branches, shall be elected for a term of four years; but upon the
first assembling under this act of every council, and of each
branch thereof, where there are two, the members of each branch
thereof shall be divided into two equal classes, to be determined
by lot, and the term of the members of the first class shall be two
years, and that of the members of the second class shall be four
years, and thereafter the terms of all the members of each class
shall be four years, so that one-half of each branch shall be
elected every two years: provided, however, that in cases where
the total membership of a branch is uneven, provision may be
made in such division into classes for the assignment of the odd
number to one of such classes: and provided, that all elections to
fill vacancies in any council shall be for the unexpired term: and
provided, further, that nothing in this section in conflict with the
charter of any city, whose council now consists of two branches,
shall affect the charter of said city, except in so far as the same
is affected by the Constitution. * * * In any city having a
population of ten thousand or more, where the council now consists
of only one branch, it shall be the duty of said council to
provide by ordinance for the number of members of each branch,
and to apportion the same among the wards of said city.
