N.Y. Town Law § 24-a: Terms of office of elective officers

§ 24-a. Terms of office of elective officers. 1. Notwithstanding the

provisions of section twenty-four of this chapter or any other general

law, and at least one hundred fifty days prior to any biennial town

election, the town board of any town may adopt a resolution to provide

that the term of office of each and any elective town official

thereafter elected shall be four years, and such resolution shall be

submitted to the qualified electors of the town for their approval or

disapproval at the next biennial town election. No such resolution shall

become effective until approved by the affirmative vote of the majority

of the qualified electors of the town voting on such proposition. The

submission of such proposition shall be as provided in article seven of

this chapter for a referendum thereunder in like manner as if a petition

therefor had been filed in accordance with the provisions of this

chapter, except that such proposition shall be submitted only at a

biennial town election as hereinbefore provided. If the town board shall

have adopted such a resolution and if a majority of the votes cast on

any such proposition when submitted as herein provided shall be in the

affirmative, the terms of office of those town officers included in such

proposition and thereafter elected shall be for a period of four years.

2. In those towns where the term of office of elected officials has

been set at four years pursuant to subdivision one of this section, and

at least one hundred fifty days prior to any biennial town election, the

town board may adopt a resolution to provide that the term of office of

each and any elective town official, whose term of office was changed to

four years as provided in subdivision one of this section, thereafter

elected shall be two years, and such resolution shall be submitted to

the qualified electors of the town for their approval or disapproval at

the next biennial town election. No such resolution shall become

effective until approved by the affirmative vote of the majority of the

qualified electors of the town voting on such proposition. The

submission of such proposition shall be as provided in article seven of

this chapter for a referendum thereunder in like manner as if a petition

therefor had been filed in accordance with the provisions of this

chapter, except that such proposition shall be submitted only at a

biennial town election as hereinbefore provided. If the town board shall

have adopted such a resolution and if a majority of the votes cast on

any such proposition when submitted as herein provided shall be in the

affirmative, the terms of office of those town officers included in such

proposition and thereafter elected shall be for a period of two years.