2023 Tennessee Code › Title 6 - CITIES AND TOWNS (§§ 6-1-101 — 6-59-107) › CITY MANAGER-COMMISSION CHARTER (§§ 6-18-101 — 6-23-101) › Chapter 20 - COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR UNDER CITY MANAGER-COMMISSION CHARTER (§§ 6-20-101 — 6-20-220) › Part 2 - POWERS AND DUTIES OF BOARD (§§ 6-20-201 — 6-20-220) › Section 6-20-201 - Election of mayor - Absence or disability of mayor

(a)
(1)
The commissioners, at the first regular meeting after each biennial election, shall elect one (1) of their number mayor for a term of two (2) years, and, thus organized, the body shall be known as the board of commissioners.
(2)
In cities holding elections every four (4) years under the terms of §
6-20-101(e)
, the commissioners, at the first regular meeting after the quadrennial election and every two (2) years subsequent thereto, shall elect one (1) of their number mayor for a term of two (2) years, and the body so organized shall be known as the board of commissioners. This subdivision (a)(2) shall have no effect unless approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the governing body of any municipality to which it may apply.
(3)
(A)
Cities holding elections every four (4) years under the terms of §
6-20-101
and having a population of not less than one thousand twenty (1,020) nor more than one thousand thirty (1,030), according to a 1987 state certified census or any subsequent federal census, shall have the option of a popular election of a mayor, to serve four (4) consecutive years, as the board of commissioners directs the county election commission to hold under §
6-20-102
. Voters shall be entitled to vote for a mayor and two (2) or four (4) commissioners dependent upon those provisions of §
6-20-101
in effect for that city.
(B)
Subdivision (a)(3)(A) shall have no effect unless approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the governing body of any municipality to which it may apply.
(b)
(1)
(A)
Rather than being elected by the board of commissioners, the mayor may be elected by popular vote if this method of electing the mayor is approved in a referendum in the city. In the referendum, the question on the ballot shall appear in substantially this form:
Shall the mayor of this city be elected by popular vote rather than by the board of commissioners?
(B)
The referendum may be called by resolution of the board of commissioners or by petition of ten percent (10%) of the registered voters of the city. The referendum shall be held by the county election commission as provided in the general election law for elections on questions, or the resolution or petition may provide that the referendum be held at the next regular city election.
(2)
Once the popular election of the mayor has been approved by a majority of those voting, the board of commissioners shall designate by ordinance one (1) of the commissioner positions as that of mayor. The popular election of the mayor shall take effect at the next election for the position designated. In the mayoral election, the person receiving the most votes shall become the mayor. The term of the popularly elected mayor shall be four (4) years.
(3)
In a city that has chosen to elect commissioners from districts and that also has chosen to elect the mayor by popular vote, the board of commissioners shall establish one (1) less district than the number of commissioners, and the mayor shall be elected at-large for a four-year term.
(4)
The popularly elected mayor shall have the same powers and duties as a mayor chosen by the board of commissioners.
(c)
During the absence or disability of the mayor, the board shall designate some properly qualified person to perform the mayor's duties.
Acts 1921, ch. 173, art. 4, § 1; art. 7, § 1; Shan. Supp., §§ 1997a133, 1997a157; Code 1932, §§ 3530, 3554; modified; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 6-2012; Acts 1983, ch. 14, § 2; 1989, ch. 61, § 1; 1989, ch. 175, § 7.