§ 87. Increase or decrease of number of councilmen. 1. Whenever a proposition shall have been adopted in a town of the first class which shall not have established the ward system, to increase the number of councilmen from four to six, party nominations for town councilmen may be made and designating petitions filed and four town councilmen shall be elected at the first biennial town election held at least one hundred fifty days thereafter, three for a term of four years each and one for a term of two years and thereafter at each biennial town election in such town there shall be elected three town councilmen for the term of four years each, in the same manner as other elective town officers in such town. The term of office of each such councilman shall begin on the first day of January next succeeding the election at which he was elected.

2. Whenever a proposition shall have been adopted in a town of the first class which shall not have established the ward system, to increase the number of councilmen from two to four, party nominations for town councilmen may be made and designating petitions filed and three town councilmen shall be elected at the first biennial town election held at least one hundred fifty days thereafter, two for terms of four years each and one for a term of two years, and thereafter at each biennial town election in such town, there shall be elected two town councilmen for terms of four years each, in the same manner as other elective town officers in such town. The term of office of each such town councilman shall begin on the first day of January next succeeding the election at which he was elected.

3. Whenever a proposition shall have been adopted in a town of the first class to reduce the number of councilmen from four to two, no town councilmen shall be elected at the first biennial town election held at least one hundred fifty days after the adoption of such proposition. Party nominations for town councilmen may be made and designating petitions filed and two town councilmen shall be elected at the biennial town election next succeeding the biennial town election at which no town councilmen are elected, one for a term of two years and one for a term of four years and thereafter at each biennial town election in such town there shall be elected one town councilman for a term of four years, in the same manner as other elective town officers in such town. The term of office of each such councilman shall begin on the first day of January next succeeding the election at which he was elected.