New York Consolidated Laws, Town Law - TWN § 24-a. Terms of office of elective officers

1. Notwithstanding the provisions of section twenty-four of this chapter or any other general law, and at least one hundred fifty days prior to any biennial town election, the town board of any town may adopt a resolution to provide that the term of office of each and any elective town official thereafter elected shall be four years, and such resolution shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the town for their approval or disapproval at the next biennial town election.  No such resolution shall become effective until approved by the affirmative vote of the majority of the qualified electors of the town voting on such proposition.  The submission of such proposition shall be as provided in article seven of this chapter for a referendum thereunder in like manner as if a petition therefor had been filed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, except that such proposition shall be submitted only at a biennial town election as hereinbefore provided.  If the town board shall have adopted such a resolution and if a majority of the votes cast on any such proposition when submitted as herein provided shall be in the affirmative, the terms of office of those town officers included in such proposition and thereafter elected shall be for a period of four years.

2. In those towns where the term of office of elected officials has been set at four years pursuant to subdivision one of this section, and at least one hundred fifty days prior to any biennial town election, the town board may adopt a resolution to provide that the term of office of each and any elective town official, whose term of office was changed to four years as provided in subdivision one of this section, thereafter elected shall be two years, and such resolution shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the town for their approval or disapproval at the next biennial town election.  No such resolution shall become effective until approved by the affirmative vote of the majority of the qualified electors of the town voting on such proposition.  The submission of such proposition shall be as provided in article seven of this chapter for a referendum thereunder in like manner as if a petition therefor had been filed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, except that such proposition shall be submitted only at a biennial town election as hereinbefore provided.  If the town board shall have adopted such a resolution and if a majority of the votes cast on any such proposition when submitted as herein provided shall be in the affirmative, the terms of office of those town officers included in such proposition and thereafter elected shall be for a period of two years.