§8-5-9. Terms of office.
Except as otherwise provided in the charter of any municipality, the terms of all officers elected after the first election in municipalities holding biennial elections shall commence on the first day of July following their election and shall be for two years, and in municipalities holding quadrennial elections the terms of all elected officers shall commence on the first day of July following their election and shall be for four years.

All municipal officers, whether elected at the first election of officers or at regular municipal elections, or appointed, shall hold their offices until their successors are elected or appointed and qualified according to law, unless sooner removed from office according to law. Officers in office when this article becomes effective shall hold their offices subject to the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence hereof.