Section 85. Ward system for election of councilmen  


Latest version.
  • 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.