By chance I came across AGO 59a-30, and it's worth a sentence or two. In 1996, Attorney General HH Humphrey III told the City of Richfield it could not manipulate council vacancies on its own, but that the Minnesota Constitution and Minnesota law required that council vacancies come about only as specified by law and then be filled by special election.
The citizens cannot be disenfranchised of a right to elect their representatives.
Hence the council in Ramsey cannot take that right away from you, not lawfully at least.
I understand they've law firms they can buy opinions from saying what they ask, but still, the Attorney General's opinions carry special weight - the weight of impartiality - whereas the Ramsey council purchased variety mirror the Ramsey council wishes - more or less.
Sleep a little better, as long as the law, i.e., the AGO, is followed.
For example, under it, Mayor Gamec could not resign mid-term with a sitting council member or other favored person appointed by the council "for" you instead of having a replacement elected in a special election, by you.
It just seems right that way anyway, doesn't it? Otherwise they preempt a ward, or the entire city's citizenry, and that's not the American way.
