N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 197

§ 197. Changing number of trustees. An incorporated church to which\nthis article is applicable, may, at an annual corporate meeting, change\nthe number of its trustees to three, six, nine, twelve, fifteen,\neighteen, twenty-one or twenty-four, or classify them so that the terms\nof one-third expire each year. No such change shall affect the terms of\nthe trustees then in office, and if the change reduces the number of\ntrustees, it shall not take effect until the number of trustees whose\nterms of office continue for one or more years after an annual election\nis less than the number determined on. Whenever the number of trustees\nso holding over is less than the number so determined on, trustees shall\nbe elected in addition to those so holding over, sufficient to make the\nnumber of trustees for the ensuing year equal to the number so\ndetermined on. The trustees so elected up to and including one-third of\nthe number so determined on, shall be elected for three years, the\nremainder up to and including one-third of the number so determined on\nfor two years, and the remainder for one year.\n