(a) Appointment.--Within 30 days of a vacancy in the office of mayor or other member of council or if an elected mayor or council member has failed to qualify under section 10701 (relating to elected officers, term, reelection and vacancy) prior to taking office, council must, by a majority of council's remaining members, appoint a qualified individual to fill the vacant office.

(b) President judge.--If a council does not fill a vacancy within 30 days under subsection (a) or if a vacancy exists in the offices of at least a majority of the members of council, including the position of mayor, the president judge of the court of common pleas having jurisdiction within the city, must fill each vacancy upon either the petition of at least 10 qualified electors of the city or the petition of a majority of the remaining members of council.

(c) Term.--A individual appointed under subsection (a) or (b) shall serve for the lesser of the following terms:

(1) The remainder of the unexpired term of the office to which the individual is appointed.

(2) Until the first Monday of January after the next municipal election occurring at least 30 days after the vacancy occurred.

(d) Unexpired term.--If necessary to fill the unexpired term of the individual originally elected to an office that has become vacant, an individual shall be elected at the municipal election referred to under subsection (c)(2) to serve from the first Monday of January after the election for the remainder of the unexpired term.