(1) In a city which adopts the city manager plan of government pursuant to sections 19-601 to 19-610, the number of city council members shall be determined by the class and population of the city. In cities having one thousand or more but not more than forty thousand inhabitants, there shall be five members, and in cities having more than forty thousand but less than two hundred thousand inhabitants, there shall be seven members, except that in cities having between twenty-five thousand and forty thousand inhabitants, the city council may by ordinance provide for seven members. Council members shall be elected from the city at large unless the city council by ordinance provides for the election of all or some of its council members by wards, the number and boundaries of which are provided for in section 16-104. Council members shall serve for terms of four years or until their successors are elected and qualified except as provided for the first election under an ordinance changing the number of council members or their manner of election. The council members shall meet the qualifications found in sections 19-613 and 19-613.01. The first election under an ordinance changing the number of council members or their manner of election shall take place at the next regular city election and shall be for all council members irrespective of their manner of election. The qualification of the candidates elected at such first election shall end the terms of those council members in office whose terms have not otherwise expired. If all council members are elected at large at the first election, the bare majority of council members receiving the highest number of votes shall serve for four years and the others for two years. At the first election under an ordinance changing the number of council members or their manner of election, one-half or the bare majority of council members elected at large, as the case may be, who receive the highest number of votes shall serve for four years and the other or others for two years. At such first election, one-half or the bare majority of council members, as the case may be, who are elected by wards shall serve for four years and the others for two years, as provided in the ordinance. If only one council member is to be elected at large at such first election, such member shall serve for four years.
(2) Commencing with the statewide primary election in 1976, and every two years thereafter, those candidates whose terms will be expiring shall be nominated at the statewide primary election and elected at the statewide general election.