SECTION 3 Terms of Office.
a) The terms of office for the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and the Council Members shall be three (3) years, except that in the first election, the terms of office for Council Members and Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson shall be staggered and determined as follows:
1) The candidate receiving the highest percentage of votes in his/her District shall be elected for a three (3) year term;
2) The candidates receiving the second, third and fourth highest percentages of the votes in their respective districts shall be elected for two (2) year terms;
3) The remaining three (3) candidates shall be elected for one (1) year terms;
4) In the event of a tie among or between the candidates who, by reason of the percentage of votes received in the candidates’ respective districts, would be entitled to serve an initial term of more than one (1) year, any such tie shall be broken by the tied candidates drawing of lots to determine which candidates shall be entitled to serve an initial term of more than one year;
5) Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall not be elected in the same year, except to fill a vacant position pursuant to Article III Section 10. The transition to staggered terms will occur following the next Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson Election after this amendment, with a one-time 4-year term to the elected Chairperson and a 3 year term to the elected Vice-Chairperson.
b) Each Tribal Officer and Council Member shall be inaugurated as the first order of business at the first regular Council meeting following his/her election and his/her term shall commence upon inauguration.