SECTION 1.  The charter of the city of Salem, which is on file in the office of the archivist of the commonwealth, as provided in section 12 of chapter 43B of the General Laws, is hereby amended, by striking out section 58 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 58. Mayor as chief executive officer; election; term of office.

There shall be a mayor, elected by and from the qualified voters of the city, who shall be the chief executive officer of the city. The mayor shall hold office for the term of four years from the first Monday in January following his or her election and until his or her successor is qualified.

SECTION 2.  Said charter is hereby further amended in section 59A by striking out the first two paragraphs and inserting in place thereof the following two paragraphs:-

If a vacancy occurs in the office of mayor by death, removal or resignation during the first through thirty-sixth months of the term ending on December thirty-first for which the mayor was elected, the city clerk shall forthwith order an election to fill such vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term. Such election may be held at the time of the regular municipal election so long as the vacancy does not occur more than six months prior to the regular municipal election.  Until such time of said election, the city council shall hold a meeting to elect by majority vote one of its members as acting mayor until a candidate for mayor is elected and the election results are certified. If the city council fails so to elect at said meeting or within thirty days thereafter, the president of the city council shall become acting mayor, shall exercise all the rights and powers of mayor and shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of his or her duties. The candidate for mayor elected at such election shall take office immediately upon the certification of the results of the election. 

If a vacancy occurs during the thirty-seventh month beginning January first through the end of the term for which the mayor was elected, a meeting shall be held by the city council to elect by majority vote one of its members as acting mayor for the remainder of the unexpired term. If the city council fails so to elect at said meeting or within thirty days thereafter, the president of the city council shall become acting mayor, shall exercise all the rights and powers of mayor and shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of his or her duties.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage.