Except as otherwise provided in this section, if a vacancy exists on a municipal governing body, the remaining members must appoint a replacement to serve until the next regular municipal election. The governing body may call a special election to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term, as provided in § 9-13-14.2. In the aldermanic form of municipal government, the replacement must be an individual from the same ward of the municipality.

Source: PolC 1877, ch 24, § 18; CL 1887, § 1039; SL 1890, ch 37 , art IV, §§ 6, 7; RPolC 1903, §§ 1203, 1204, 1434; RC 1919, §§ 6198, 6210; SL 1931, ch 200 , § 2; SDC 1939, §§ 45.0603, 45.0704; SDCL §§ 9-7-4, 9-8-6; SL 1979, ch 50 , § 2; SL 1992, ch 60 , § 2; SL 2005, ch 48 , § 5; SL 2006, ch 28 , § 1; SL 2010, ch 74 , § 5; SL 2025, ch 40 , § 8, eff. Jan. 1, 2026; SL 2026, ch 32 , § 21.