The number and boundaries of the wards and precincts in a city may be changed by an ordinance adopted by a majority vote of the members of the governing body. Such ordinance shall be introduced at a regular meeting of the board, and before final action is taken on the proposed ordinance, it shall be published in the official newspaper of the city once each week for four successive weeks. When the boundaries of wards are fixed by ordinance, the number of such wards and the boundaries thereof shall not be changed for a period of two years, except by adding thereto territory which is added to the city limits. The territory in a ward shall be contiguous and compact, and no ward having a population of less than one hundred residents shall be created. The terms “wards” and “precincts” shall have the meaning provided for in section 40-21-09.