N.Y. Jud. Law § 184

§ 184. Number of judges of the surrogate's court, county judges to\nserve as judges of surrogate's court. 1. The number of judges of the\nsurrogate's court for each county, whether without or within the city of\nNew York, shall be equal to the number of separate elective offices or\noffice of judge of the surrogate's court for such county authorized by\nlaw on the thirty-first day of August, nineteen hundred sixty-two,\nexcept those authorized by certificate filed pursuant to section one\nhundred eighty-nine-c of the judiciary law, as added by chapter six\nhundred ninety-four of the laws of nineteen hundred fifty, subsequent to\nMarch first, nineteen hundred sixty-two.\n 2. Except where a separate surrogate has been or shall be elected, the\ncounty judge of each county outside of the city of New York shall be and\nserve as judge of the surrogate's court for his county.\n