Where a city elects to become a noncharter code city under one of the optional plans of government provided in Title 35A RCW for code cities which involves the same general plan of government as that under which the city operated prior to the choice and where with the change in classification the number of council positions in a city remains the same or increases from five to seven, the procedures for the first election of officers which appear in RCW 35A.02.050 shall not be followed. When membership in a city council remains the same or is increased upon becoming a noncharter code city, the terms of incumbent councilmembers shall not be affected. If the number of councilmembers is increased from five to seven, the city council shall, by majority vote, pursuant to RCW 35A.12.050 and 35A.13.020, appoint two persons to serve in these offices until the next municipal general election, at which election one person shall be elected for a two-year term and one person shall be elected for a four-year term.

A first election of all officers upon a change in classification to a noncharter code city is also not required where the change in classification otherwise retains the same general or specific plan of government and where the change in classification results in a decrease in the number of council positions in a city.

If the membership in a city council is decreased from seven to five members upon adopting the classification of noncharter code city, this decrease in the number of councilmembers shall be determined in the following manner: The councilmembers shall determine by lot which two council positions shall be eliminated upon the expiration of their terms of office. The terms of the remaining councilmembers shall not be affected.

Severability—1979 ex.s. c 18: See note following RCW 35A.01.070.