N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 57: Changing number of laymen trustees

§ 57. Changing number of laymen trustees. An incorporated church to

which this article is applicable may, by a majority vote of the duly

qualified voters at an annual corporate meeting, change the number of

its laymen trustees to three, six or nine, and classify them so that the

terms of one-third of such number so changed expire each year. No such

change shall affect the terms of the laymen trustees then in office, and

if the change reduces the number of laymen trustees, it shall not take

effect until the number of laymen trustees whose terms of office

continue for one or more years after an annual election of trustees, is

less than the number determined upon. Whenever the number of laymen

trustees so holding over is less than the number so determined,

sufficient laymen trustees shall be elected, in addition to those so

holding over, to make the number of laymen trustees for the ensuing year

equal to the number so determined. The laymen trustees so elected up to

and including one-third of the number so determined shall hold office

for a term of three years, the remainder up to and including one-third

of the number so determined, for two years and the remainder, for one

year.