(a) The executive director of the district public defenders conference shall be elected by a simple majority of the membership of the district public defenders conference for a term of four (4) years. The election of the executive director shall be held at the annual meeting of the conference which immediately precedes July 1 of years in which presidential elections are held.

(b) The term of office of the executive director shall begin on July 1 following the election, and shall extend through June 30 of the next year in which a presidential election is held. The executive director shall, however, be subject to removal from office by vote of a majority of the conference membership at any meeting of the conference held during the term of office of the executive director. Upon removal from office of the executive director, or upon a vacancy in the office otherwise occurring during a meeting of the conference, the conference shall elect by vote of a majority of its membership a person to fill the unexpired term of office. Should a vacancy in the office of executive director occur at any other time, the executive committee of the conference shall appoint a person to the office of executive director to serve until the next meeting of the conference, at which time the conference shall, by vote of a majority of its members, elect a person to fill the unexpired term of office of the executive director.

(c) The executive director shall receive a salary equal to that fixed by law for a district public defender.