N.Y. RCO Law § 50-HH

§ 50-hh. Changing number of laymen trustees. An incorporated church to\nwhich this article is applicable may, by a majority vote of the duly\nqualified voters at an annual corporate meeting, change the number of\nits laymen trustees to three, six or nine, and classify them so that the\nterms of one-third of such number so changed expire each year. No such\nchange shall affect the terms of the laymen trustees then in office, and\nif the change reduces the number of laymen trustees, it shall not take\neffect until the number of laymen trustees whose terms of office\ncontinue for one or more years after an annual election of trustees, is\nless than the number determined upon. Whenever the number of laymen\ntrustees so holding over is less than the number so determined,\nsufficient laymen trustees shall be elected, in addition to those so\nholding over, to make the number of laymen trustees for the ensuing year\nequal to the number so determined. The laymen trustees so elected up to\nand including one-third of the number so determined shall hold office\nfor a term of three years, the remainder up to and including one-third\nof the number so determined, for two years and the remainder, for one\nyear.\n