Official Wording: The candidates seeking election to the Memphis City Council shall be elected for a term of four (4) years, and may succeed themselves. For the first election held pursuant to this section, in order to establish staggered terms of office, the candidates from even-numbered districts shall be elected for a term of two (2) years, and the candidates from odd-numbered districts shall be elected for four (4) years. For all subsequent elections, the City Council candidates will be elected to a four (4) year term.

Explanation: Under this system, the people of Memphis elect half of the City Council every two years, thus ensuring that there could not be total turnover of that body in a single election. This would also allow the council members on the staggered terms to run for mayor without giving up their seat on the council.

The staggering could be accomplished by having half the council run for a two-year shift in 2011 and for re-election in 2013. It could also be created by having all of the city government run for a one-year term in 2011, and then have half the council run for a two-year term in 2012. By putting Memphis municipal elections on even years, Memphis could split the cost with the county as they would also have elections that year, thus saving Memphis an estimated $1 million.