N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 189: Organization and conduct of corporate meetings; qualifications of voters thereat

§ 189. Organization and conduct of corporate meetings; qualifications

of voters thereat. At a corporate meeting of every incorporated church

or society to which this article is applicable, the following persons,

and no others, shall be qualified voters, to wit: All persons who are

then members in good and regular standing of such church or society by

admission into full membership therewith. The presence at such meetings

of at least six persons qualified to vote thereat shall be necessary to

constitute a quorum, provided that any church or society to which this

article is applicable may by its by-laws fix the number of members

necessary to constitute a quorum. The action of the meeting upon any

matter or question shall be decided by a majority of the qualified

voters voting thereon, a quorum being present, except that by-laws may

provide specifically for action being taken upon any matter or question

by more than a majority vote, in which event such by-law provisions

shall govern any such action; and further excepted that by-laws can be

adopted or amended only by a two-thirds vote, as hereinbefore provided

by this chapter. The clerk of the church or society shall call the

meeting to order, and then turn it over to a presiding officer chosen by

the qualified voters then present or to the one designated under the

provisions of the by-laws; and if an election is to be held at such

meeting, two inspectors of election shall be chosen by the qualified

voters then present, unless otherwise designated under the provisions of

the by-laws. The presiding officer and the inspectors of election shall

receive the votes, shall be the judges of the qualifications of voters

and shall decide the result of the votes cast at any election. The polls

of an annual corporate meeting shall remain open for such time as may be

determined by a majority of the qualified voters present. At each annual

corporate meeting successors to those trustees whose terms of office

then expire, shall be elected from the qualified voters by ballot, for a

term of three years thereafter, and until their successors shall be

elected and take office.