2006 New York Code - Ward System For Election Of Councilmen.

 
    §   85.  Ward  system  for  election  of  councilmen.  1.  Whenever  a
  proposition shall have been adopted in a town of the first class for the
  establishment of the ward system and  the  election  thereafter  of  one
  councilman from each ward, the board of elections of the county in which
  such  town  is situate shall divide the town into four wards and fix the
  boundaries thereof, unless a proposition  shall  have  been  adopted  to
  increase  the  number of councilmen from four to six, in which instance,
  the board of elections shall divide the town into six wards and fix  the
  boundaries thereof. In so dividing the town into wards, no town election
  district  shall  be  divided and no election district thereafter created
  under the election law shall contain parts of two or more wards. So  far
  as  possible  the division shall be so made that the number of voters in
  each ward shall be approximately equal.   When the  board  of  elections
  shall  have  finally  determined the boundaries of the wards, they shall
  cause a map of the town to be prepared showing in detail the location of
  each ward and the boundaries thereof. The original map so made shall  be
  filed  in the office of the town clerk and copies thereof shall be filed
  in the offices of the county clerk and the board  of  elections  of  the
  county. The ward system shall be deemed established after such filing is
  complete.  After  a ward system shall have been so established, the term
  of office of every town councilman shall terminate on  the  thirty-first
  day  of  December  next succeeding the first biennial town election held
  not less than one hundred twenty days after the  establishment  of  such
  ward system, and at such biennial town election, and every biennial town
  election  thereafter, one resident elector of each ward shall be elected
  as councilman therefrom for a term of two years beginning on  the  first
  day of January next succeeding such election.
    2. The ward system may be abolished upon the adoption of a proposition
  therefor at any special or biennial town election. At the first biennial
  town  election  held at least one hundred twenty days after the adoption
  of a proposition to abolish the ward system for election of  councilmen,
  the  electors  of  the  town shall elect one-half of the total number of
  town councilmen for the term of two years each and one-half of the total
  number of town councilmen for the term  of  four  years  each.  At  each
  biennial  town  election held thereafter there shall be elected one-half
  of the total number of town councilmen for the term of four years  each.
  The terms of all such councilmen shall begin on the first day of January
  next succeeding the date of their election.