@amoeba Those are good questions. I don't know whether there are standard procedures. What I can say in this case--to allay any concerns or speculation about what was going on--is that the actions were triggered independently by SE staff who were concerned about inactivity, not about anything else.
The remaining mods suggested it was not necessary to hold a replacement election immediately, and the SE staff agreed. Later this year, though, when activity picks up (as it seasonally does in the fall), I think I might suggest electing one or two new moderators, just to keep the rest of us from burning out.
