Section 5. .

The qualified electors shall choose the elected state officials at a time designated by the legislative assembly. The elected state officials shall serve until their successors are duly qualified. Terms of office of the elected officials except the public service commissioners are four years, except that in 2004 the agriculture commissioner, attorney general, secretary of state, and tax commissioner are elected to a term of two years. The terms of the public service commissioners are six years, so arranged that one of them is elected every two years. The terms of the governor and lieutenant governor begin on December fifteenth following their election.
If two or more candidates for any executive office other than for governor and lieutenant governor receive an equal and highest number of votes, the legislative assembly in joint session shall choose one of them for the office.