N.Y. TWN Law § 87

§ 87. Increase or decrease of number of council members. 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\ncouncil members from four to six, party nominations for town council\nmembers may be made and designating petitions filed and four town\ncouncil members shall be elected at the first biennial town election\nheld at least one hundred fifty days thereafter, three for a term of\nfour years each and one for a term of two years and thereafter at each\nbiennial town election in such town there shall be elected three town\ncouncil members for the term of four years each, in the same manner as\nother elective town officers in such town. The term of office of each\nsuch council member shall begin on the first day of January next\nsucceeding the election at which they were elected.\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 council members from two to four, party\nnominations for town council members may be made and designating\npetitions filed and three town council members shall be elected at the\nfirst biennial town election held at least one hundred fifty days\nthereafter, two for terms of four years each and one for a term of two\nyears, and thereafter at each biennial town election in such town, there\nshall be elected two town council members for terms of four years each,\nin the same manner as other elective town officers in such town. The\nterm of office of each such town council member shall begin on the first\nday of January next succeeding the election at which they were elected.\n 3. Whenever a proposition shall have been adopted in a town of the\nfirst class to reduce the number of council members from four to two, no\ntown council members shall be elected at the first biennial town\nelection held at least one hundred fifty days after the adoption of such\nproposition. Party nominations for town council members may be made and\ndesignating petitions filed and two town council members shall be\nelected at the biennial town election next succeeding the biennial town\nelection at which no town council members are elected, one for a term of\ntwo years and one for a term of four years and thereafter at each\nbiennial town election in such town there shall be elected one town\ncouncil member for a term of four years, in the same manner as other\nelective town officers in such town. The term of office of each such\ncouncil member shall begin on the first day of January next succeeding\nthe election at which they were elected.\n