(a) The mayor and city councilmembers in office on the effective date of this Act or their successors shall continue in office until the first organizational meeting of the city council in January, 2002. On the Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2001, successors shall be elected for the mayor and city councilmembers.

(b) Each councilmember shall be elected at large by the voters of the entire municipality by simple plurality of the votes cast.

(c) In the November, 2001, election, the candidates for city council receiving the three highest numbers of votes shall serve terms of office of four years and until their successors are elected and qualified beginning with the first organizational meeting of the city council in January, 2002. Successors to such city councilmembers shall be elected on the Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2005, and quadrennially thereafter, and shall take office at the first organizational meeting of the city council in January immediately following the date of their election. In the November, 2001, election, the candidates for city council receiving the fourth and fifth highest numbers of votes shall serve initial terms of office of two years and until their successors are elected and qualified beginning with the first organizational meeting of the city council in January, 2002. Successors to such city councilmembers shall be elected on the Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2003, and quadrennially thereafter, and shall take office at the first organizational meeting of the city council in January immediately following the date of their election and shall serve terms of office of four years.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act to the contrary, the candidate for mayor in the November, 2001, election who receives the highest number of votes shall serve a term of office of two years and until his or her successor is elected and qualified. The mayor shall take office at the first organizational meeting of the city council in January, 2002. On the Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2003, and quadrennially thereafter, a successor shall be elected for the mayor. The mayor elected in the November, 2003, election, and subsequently thereafter, shall serve for a term of office of four years and until his or her successor is elected and qualified and shall take office at the first organizational meeting of the city council in January immediately following the date of his or her election.