New York Consolidated Laws, Town Law - TWN § 87. Increase or decrease of number of council members

1. Whenever a proposition shall have been adopted in a town of the first class which shall not have established the ward system, to increase the number of council members from four to six, party nominations for town council members may be made and designating petitions filed and four town council members shall be elected at the first biennial town election held at least one hundred fifty days thereafter, three for a term of four years each and one for a term of two years and thereafter at each biennial town election in such town there shall be elected three town council members for the term of four years each, in the same manner as other elective town officers in such town.  The term of office of each such council member shall begin on the first day of January next succeeding the election at which they were elected.

2. Whenever a proposition shall have been adopted in a town of the first class which shall not have established the ward system, to increase the number of council members from two to four, party nominations for town council members may be made and designating petitions filed and three town council members shall be elected at the first biennial town election held at least one hundred fifty days thereafter, two for terms of four years each and one for a term of two years, and thereafter at each biennial town election in such town, there shall be elected two town council members for terms of four years each, in the same manner as other elective town officers in such town.  The term of office of each such town council member shall begin on the first day of January next succeeding the election at which they were elected.

3. Whenever a proposition shall have been adopted in a town of the first class to reduce the number of council members from four to two, no town council members shall be elected at the first biennial town election held at least one hundred fifty days after the adoption of such proposition.  Party nominations for town council members may be made and designating petitions filed and two town council members shall be elected at the biennial town election next succeeding the biennial town election at which no town council members are elected, one for a term of two years and one for a term of four years and thereafter at each biennial town election in such town there shall be elected one town council member for a term of four years, in the same manner as other elective town officers in such town.  The term of office of each such council member shall begin on the first day of January next succeeding the election at which they were elected.