Deceased officer's spouse - Eligibility for appointment

If any officer of the state, district, county, city, town or

other governmental subdivision of this state shall die while in

office, and shall leave a surviving spouse, the said surviving

spouse shall be eligible (if otherwise qualified) to be appointed to

and to hold said office during the term for which the said officer

was elected or appointed, regardless of the degree of relationship

by either affinity or consanguinity to the appointing officer or to

any member of the appointing board, commission, or other appointing

authority, and it shall not be unlawful for any officer, board,

commission, appointing authority, or member thereof to appoint or

vote for the appointment of said surviving spouse to said office

during said term, regardless of any such relationship.