Section 9. Ward and town committees, respectively, shall fix the number of members of ward and town committees to be elected at the presidential primaries, not less than three nor more than thirty-five for each ward and each town. Notice of the number of committee members to be elected shall be given by the ward or town committee, as the case may be, to the state secretary on or before August first of the year preceding the year in which said persons are to be elected. In case a ward or town committee fails to fix the number of members of a ward or town committee or to give such notice, the number of members of such ward or town committee to be elected shall be the number of members last so fixed or assigned.