N.Y. Town Law § 87

§ 87. Increase or decrease of number of councilmen. 1. Whenever a\nproposition shall have been adopted in a town of the first class which\nshall not have established the ward system, to increase the number of\ncouncilmen from four to six, party nominations for town councilmen may\nbe made and designating petitions filed and four town councilmen shall\nbe elected at the first biennial town election held at least one hundred\nfifty days thereafter, three for a term of four years each and one for a\nterm of two years and thereafter at each biennial town election in such\ntown there shall be elected three town councilmen for the term of four\nyears each, in the same manner as other elective town officers in such\ntown. The term of office of each such councilman shall begin on the\nfirst day of January next succeeding the election at which he was\nelected.\n 2. Whenever a proposition shall have been adopted in a town of the\nfirst class which shall not have established the ward system, to\nincrease the number of councilmen from two to four, party nominations\nfor town councilmen may be made and designating petitions filed and\nthree town councilmen shall be elected at the first biennial town\nelection held at least one hundred fifty days thereafter, two for terms\nof four years each and one for a term of two years, and thereafter at\neach biennial town election in such town, there shall be elected two\ntown councilmen for terms of four years each, in the same manner as\nother elective town officers in such town. The term of office of each\nsuch town councilman shall begin on the first day of January next\nsucceeding the election at which he was elected.\n 3. Whenever a proposition shall have been adopted in a town of the\nfirst class to reduce the number of councilmen from four to two, no town\ncouncilmen shall be elected at the first biennial town election held at\nleast one hundred fifty days after the adoption of such proposition.\nParty nominations for town councilmen may be made and designating\npetitions filed and two town councilmen shall be elected at the biennial\ntown election next succeeding the biennial town election at which no\ntown councilmen are elected, one for a term of two years and one for a\nterm of four years and thereafter at each biennial town election in such\ntown there shall be elected one town councilman for a term of four\nyears, in the same manner as other elective town officers in such town.\nThe term of office of each such councilman shall begin on the first day\nof January next succeeding the election at which he was elected.\n