1. At municipal elections in all cities and towns under special legislative charters, located in a county containing a city, or a part of a city, of over four hundred thousand population, which have attained a population of seven thousand five hundred inhabitants, and not more than one hundred thousand there shall be elected one alderman from each ward for a four-year term; at municipal elections there shall be elected a mayor for a four-year term; and there shall be elected an attorney, a treasurer, who shall be, by virtue of his office, collector of revenue of the city, an auditor, a municipal judge, and a clerk, each of whom shall hold his respective office for a term of two years, and their successors shall be elected accordingly, except that any such city may provide by ordinance that the attorney, treasurer, municipal judge, and clerk be appointed by the mayor, subject to the approval of the city council, and the ordinance may further provide that all or any of such officers when so appointed and any of the appointive officers of any such city, except the members of any board created by statute, shall hold office for an indefinite term and at the pleasure of the mayor and city council. In addition to the above officers the city council shall provide by ordinance for the appointment of an assessor and a chief of police, whose duties shall be prescribed by ordinance.

2. The city council may by ordinance combine the offices of clerk and treasurer. When so combined, this office may be filled by election at municipal elections or may be made appointive by ordinance under the same provisions applying to the offices separately.

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3. The provisions of this section shall apply only after a majority of the voters voting thereon at a municipal election approve the effectiveness of this section for such city or town. The question shall be placed upon the ballot by a petition signed by a number of voters of the city or town equal to five percent of the total number of votes cast for mayor at the last election, or by a resolution of the board of aldermen of the city or town.