Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 3 of chapter 17 of the acts of 1937 is hereby amended by striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- The representative town meeting membership shall in each of the 12 precincts consist of 21 members, which will cause the total membership to be 252.

SECTION 2. Said chapter 17 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 3 the following section:-

Section 3A. At the first scheduled town election after the effective date of this act, providing for the total membership of town meeting to be 252, precincts 1 to 4, inclusive, shall elect nine town meeting members, the first seven of which, in the order of votes received, members so elected shall serve for three years, the eighth in such order shall serve for two years, and the ninth in such order shall serve for one year, from the day of the annual town meeting. In case of a tie vote affecting the order of votes received as aforesaid, the members elected from the precinct shall by ballot determine the same. Thereafter, except as is otherwise provided herein, at each annual town election, the registered voters of each precinct shall elect for the term of three years, seven town meeting members and shall at such election fill for the unexpired term any vacancy then existing in the number of elected town meeting members in each precinct. The town clerk, shall after every election of town meeting members, forthwith notify each member by mail of his election.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage.