N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 52: Provisions governing meetings for incorporation

§ 52. Provisions governing meetings for incorporation. 1. At the

meeting for incorporation, held in pursuance of such notice, the

qualified voters, until otherwise decided as hereinafter provided, shall

be all persons of full age who have statedly worshipped with such church

and have regularly contributed to its support, according to its usages,

for at least one year or since it was formed.

2. At such meeting the presence of a majority of such qualified

voters, at least six in number, shall be necessary to constitute a

quorum, and all matters or questions shall be decided by a majority of

the qualified voters voting thereon.

3. The meeting shall be called to order by one of the signers of the

call. There shall be elected at such meeting from the qualified voters

then present, a presiding officer, a clerk to keep the record of the

proceedings of the meeting and two inspectors of election to receive the

ballots cast. The presiding officer and the inspectors shall decide the

result of the ballots cast on any matter and shall be the judges of the

qualifications of the voters.

4. If the meeting shall decide that such unincorporated church or

congregation shall become incorporated, the meeting shall also decide

upon the name of the proposed corporation, the number of laymen trustees

thereof, which shall be three, six or nine, and the date, not more than

fifteen months thereafter, on which the first annual election of the

laymen trustees shall be held; and it may, by a two-thirds vote, decide

that all members of the unincorporated church, of full age, in good and

regular standing, who have statedly worshipped with such church, but who

have not contributed to the financial support thereof, shall also be

qualified voters at such meeting; and that such church members, who for

one year next preceding any subsequent corporate meeting, shall have

statedly worshipped with such church and have been members thereof in

good and regular standing, but have not regularly contributed to the

financial support thereof, shall be qualified voters at such corporate

meetings.

5. Such meeting shall thereupon elect by ballot from the persons

qualified to vote thereat one-third of the number of the laymen trustees

so decided on, who shall hold office until the first annual election of

laymen trustees thereof, one-third of the number of such laymen trustees

who shall hold office until the second annual election of trustees

thereafter, and one-third of such number of laymen trustees who shall

hold office until the third annual election of trustees thereafter, or

until the respective successors of such laymen trustees shall be

elected.

6. Such meeting shall also elect by ballot a clerk of the corporation,

who shall hold office until the close of the next annual meeting.

7. Such meeting shall also designate by a vote by ballot two of the

laymen trustees so elected, who shall be wardens of the church, whose

terms of office as wardens shall be one year or until their respective

successors are elected from among the remaining laymen trustees.