20-2912. Taking office; rights, privileges, powers and duties; terms of office, eligibility for retention in office; election on question of retention; term for which retained; rejection, vacancy, appointment of successor; judge's eligibility to succeed himself or herself; failure to declare candidacy, vacancy. Any person appointed to the office of district court judge pursuant to K.S.A. 20-2911 or pursuant to subsection (b) of K.S.A. 20-2913 shall commence upon the duties of office on the date such appointment takes effect, and any person so appointed shall have all the rights, privileges, powers and duties prescribed by law for the office of district court judge. Any such judge who is so appointed to fill a vacancy, or to fill a newly-created judgeship, or by reason of the expiration of a term of office, shall serve until the second Monday in January following the next general election which occurs after one year in office and shall be eligible to succeed himself or herself in office for a full term of four (4) years as provided in K.S.A. 20-2908.

If a majority of the votes cast and counted at such election is in favor of retaining such judge in office, said judge shall remain in office for a regular term of four years from the second Monday in January next following such election. Thereafter, such judge shall be subject to retention in office as provided in K.S.A. 20-2908. If a majority of the votes cast and counted at such election is against retaining such judge in office, the office of such judge shall become vacant on the second Monday in January next following the election, and a successor shall be appointed pursuant to K.S.A. 20-2909, 20-2910 and 20-2911. If such judge does not declare his or her candidacy for election to succeed himself or herself in office the office of such district court judge shall be vacant on the second Monday in January next following such election.

History: L. 1974, ch. 137, § 12; L. 1976, ch. 153, § 1; July 1.