This section sets when municipal elections are held, how municipalities may switch to congressional or gubernatorial election timing, and how vacancies or holdovers are handled.
§383. Municipal elections; term of office; filling vacancies; officers holding over under new form of government A.(1) Except as otherwise provided by this Subsection and R.S. 33:383.2, municipal elections shall be held every four years on the date for municipal and ward elections in accordance with R.S. 18:402(D). The officers elected shall take office on the first day of July following their election and shall hold their office for four years. (2)(a) Any municipality by ordinance of the governing authority may adopt a plan for holding municipal elections at the congressional elections in accordance with R.S. 18:402(C)(2). Any plan so adopted shall be filed with the secretary of state not less than one year prior to the opening of the qualifying period for the congressional primary election at which municipal officers shall be elected initially under the plan. This election shall be the first congressional primary election after termination of the terms of office to which municipal officers in office on the effective date of this Subsection were elected. (b) No such plan shall be revocable by the governing authority. (c) Any municipality that complies with the provisions of this Paragraph may hold municipal elections at the congressional elections in accordance with R.S. 18:402(C)(2). (d) The officers elected shall take office on the first day of January following their election and shall hold their office for four years. (3)(a) Any municipality by ordinance of the governing authority may adopt a plan for holding municipal elections at the gubernatorial election in accordance with R.S. 18:402. Any plan adopted pursuant to this Paragraph shall be filed with the secretary of state no later than January 12, 2027. (b) No such plan shall be revocable by the governing authority of the municipality. (c) Any municipality that complies with the provisions of this Paragraph may hold its municipal elections at the fall gubernatorial election in accordance with R.S. 18:402. The first election under the plan shall be held at the 2031 gubernatorial election. (d) The officers elected under the plan shall take office on the first day of July following their election and shall hold their office for four years. However, the municipal officers of a municipality that complies with Subsection A of this Section who are elected at municipal elections held at the same time as the 2027 spring municipal election, as provided by R.S. 18:402, shall serve until their successors elected under the plan take office on July 1, 2032. B. If no election is held on the day herein prescribed or if a vacancy in any municipal office elective by the people occurs or if an officer elected fails to qualify, such vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of Article VI, Section 13 of the Constitution of Louisiana or as otherwise provided by law. C. Any vacancy in a municipal office to which the officer is elected or appointed by the mayor and board of aldermen may be filled for the term by the mayor and board of aldermen at any regular or special meeting. D. Officers of a municipality who are in office when the municipality elects to come under the provisions of this Part under R.S. 33:322, shall retain their offices until the first election under this section, with the powers of like offices under this Part. Amended by Acts 1970, No. 122, §1; Acts 1984, No. 829, §1, eff. July 13, 1984; Acts 1987, No. 413, §1; Acts 2003, No. 693, §1; Acts 2018, No. 395, §1, eff. May 22, 2018; Acts 2022, No. 402, §1; Acts 2025, No. 354, §2. {{NOTE: SEE ACTS 1984, NO. 829, §2.}}