(a) The Appellate Court of Maryland consists of 15 judges, one of whom shall be designated by the Governor as Chief Judge.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the judges of the Appellate Court of Maryland shall be selected, appointed, retained, removed from office, or retired as provided in Article IV of the Maryland Constitution with respect to justices of the Supreme Court of Maryland. One judge of the Appellate Court of Maryland shall be a resident respectively of each of the appellate judicial circuits defined in Article IV, § 14 of the Maryland Constitution. When election to judicial office is required by the Constitution, each of these judges shall be elected by the qualified voters of his circuit of residence. The remaining judges of the Appellate Court of Maryland may be residents of any part of the State and, when election to judicial office is required by the Constitution, shall be elected by the qualified voters of the entire State. The term of a judge of the Appellate Court of Maryland begins on the date of his qualification for office.