Section 103. Judges

(a)  In  each  judicial district there shall be elected such number of
  judges as may be provided by law.
    (b) The judges of the court shall be elected for a term of  six  years
  from and including the first day of January following such election.
    (c)  No  person, other than one who holds such office when this act is
  made applicable in the court, may serve in the office of  judge  of  the
  court  unless he or she is a resident elector of the district from which
  he or she has been elected and has been admitted to practice law in this
  state for at least five years as of the date he  or  she  commences  the
  duties of office.
    (d) A judge of the court may not:
    1.  hold  any  other  public  office  or  trust  except  member  of  a
  constitutional convention or member of the armed forces  of  the  United
  States or of the state of New York in which latter event the legislature
  may  enact  such  legislation  as  it deems appropriate to provide for a
  temporary judge or justice to serve during the period of the absence  of
  such judge or justice in the armed forces;
    2.  be  eligible  to  be  a candidate for any public office other than
  judicial office or member of  a  constitutional  convention,  unless  he
  resigns  his  judicial office; in the event that a judge or justice does
  not so resign his judicial office within ten days after  his  acceptance
  of the nomination of such other office, his judicial office shall become
  vacant and the vacancy shall be filled in the manner provided by law;
    3.  hold any office or assume the duties or exercise the powers of any
  office of any political organization or be a member of any governing  or
  executive agency thereof;
    4.  engage  in  the  practice of law, act as an arbitrator, referee or
  compensated mediator in any action or proceeding or matter or engage  in
  the  conduct  of  any other profession or business which interferes with
  the performance of his judicial duties.
    (e) The appellate division of the supreme court may remove a judge  of
  the  district  court  for  cause  or retire him for disability after due
  notice and hearing, under such procedures as may be established by law.
    (f) A vacancy in the office of  judge,  occurring  otherwise  than  by
  expiration  of term, shall be filled for a full term of six years at the
  next general election held not less than three months after such vacancy
  occurs; and until the  vacancy  shall  be  so  filled,  the  supervisors
  elected  in  the  towns  and cities comprising the county district court
  system, or if the county has a county executive, said  county  executive
  subject  to  confirmation  by  the  supervisors elected in the towns and
  cities comprising the  county  district  court  system,  may  fill  such
  vacancy  by  an appointment which shall continue until and including the
  last day of December next  after  the  general  election  at  which  the
  vacancy  shall  be  filled.  In such case the person appointed must be a
  resident in the district from which such office is required by this  act
  to be filled by election.