§2602. Vacancy in municipal office
1.
When vacancy exists.
A vacancy in a municipal office may occur by the following means:
A.
Nonacceptance;
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
B.
Resignation;
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
C.
Death;
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
D.
Removal from the municipality;
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
E.
Permanent disability or incompetency;
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
F.
Failure to qualify for the office within 10 days after written demand by the municipal officers;
[PL 2011, c. 324, §2 (AMD).]
G.
Failure of the municipality to elect a person to office; or
[PL 2011, c. 324, §3 (AMD).]
[PL 2011, c. 324, §§2-4 (AMD).]
2.
Vacancy in office other than member of select board or school committee.
When there is a vacancy in a town office other than a vacancy on the select board or school committee, the select board may appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy.
[PL 2021, c. 275, §34 (AMD).]
3.
Vacancy in office of member of select board.
When there is a vacancy on the select board, the select board may call a town meeting to elect a qualified person to fill the vacancy.
[PL 2021, c. 275, §35 (AMD).]
4.
Vacancy in school committee.
A vacancy in a municipality's school committee shall be filled as provided in Title 20‑A, section 2305, subsection 4.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
5.
Person appointed qualifies.
The person appointed to fill a vacant office must qualify in the same manner as one chosen in the regular course of municipal activity.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
6.
Home rule authority.
Under its home rule authority, a municipality may apply different provisions governing the existence of vacancies in municipal offices and the method of filling those vacancies as follows:
A.
Any change in the provisions of this section relating to a school committee must be accomplished by charter; and
[PL 1993, c. 369, §1 (AMD).]
B.
Any change in the provisions of this section relating to any other municipal office may be accomplished by charter or ordinance.
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
[PL 1993, c. 369, §1 (AMD).]
7.
Authority to act.
Words in any statute, charter or ordinance giving authority to 3 or more persons authorize a majority to act when the statute, charter or ordinance does not otherwise specify. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a vacancy on an elected or appointed municipal or quasi-municipal body does not in itself impair the authority of the remaining members to act unless a statute, charter or ordinance expressly prohibits the municipal or quasi-municipal body from acting during the period of any vacancy and does not in itself affect the validity of any action no matter when taken.
[PL 2007, c. 396, §3 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 396, §4 (AFF).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1987, c. 737, §§A2,C106 (NEW). PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 104, §§C8,10 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 270, §3 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 369, §1 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 396, §3 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 396, §4 (AFF). PL 2011, c. 324, §§2-4 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 275, §§34, 35 (AMD).