5.—(1) The Chief Executive shall not later than 15th March 2004 and subsequently in each third year by public notice call for suitably qualified persons to apply to hold office as members from 1st May next following; and any question as to whether a person is suitably qualified for appointment or election as a member of the Authority under this article shall be determined by a panel of persons appointed by the Authority (acting in accordance with the guidance referred to in article 4(3) above) to determine that question.
(2) Each application shall be delivered to the Chief Executive not later than 31st March following the notice referred to in paragraph (1) of this article.
(3) If not more than four suitably qualified persons apply for appointment in accordance with paragraph (2) above, the Chief Executive shall by public notice declare them duly appointed.
(4) If more than four suitably qualified persons apply for appointment the Chief Executive shall give public notice of the date, time and place of an election to be held during the month of April in the same year and that notice shall be given not less than fourteen days before the date of the election.
(5) The Chief Executive shall be the preses at any election held under this article.
(6) Each eligible person at the election shall be entitled to one vote for each of the four offices of member, and in case of an equality of votes, the Chief Executive shall exercise a casting vote in addition to any deliberative vote exercised by him.
(7) At the conclusion of the election the Chief Executive shall forthwith give public notice of the result thereof.
(8) In this article–
“election” means an election held in accordance with this article;
“eligible person” means a person who at the time of an election is registered on the register for the time being of local government electors for any electoral ward situated in the Isle of Lewis;
“public notice” means a notice published once in a newspaper circulating in the Isle of Lewis or by means of notices posted in conspicuous places throughout the Isle.