N.Y. Laws » CHAPTER Religious Corporations / ARTICLE Other Denominations
New York Consolidated Laws

N.Y. Religious Corporations Law § 195 (2026)

Organization and conduct of corporate meetings; qualification of voters thereat

✓ current as of May 2026
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§ 195. Organization and conduct of corporate meetings; qualification
of voters thereat.  At a corporate meeting of an incorporated church to
which this article is applicable the following persons, and no others,
shall be qualified voters, to wit: All persons who are then members in
good and regular standing of such church by admission into full
communion or membership therewith in accordance with the rules and
regulations thereof, and of the governing ecclesiastical body, if any,
of the denomination or order to which the church belongs, or who have
been stated attendants on divine worship in such church and have
regularly contributed to the financial support thereof during the year
next preceding such meeting; and any other church incorporated under
this article, may at any annual corporate meeting thereof, or any
corporate meeting called pursuant to the provisions of this article, if
notice of the intention so to do has been given with the notice of such
meeting, determine that thereafter only members of such church shall be
qualified voters at corporate meetings thereof. The presence at such
meetings of at least six persons qualified to vote thereat shall be
necessary to constitute a quorum. The action of the meeting upon any
matter or question shall be decided by a majority of the qualified
voters voting thereon, a quorum being present. The first named of the
following persons who is present at such meeting shall preside thereat,
to wit:  The minister of such church, the officiating minister thereof;
the officers thereof in the order of their age beginning with the
oldest, any qualified voters elected therefor at the meeting. The
presiding officer of the meeting shall receive the votes, be the judge
of qualifications of voters and declare the result of the votes cast on
any matter. The polls of an annual corporate meeting shall continue open
for one hour, and longer in the discretion of the presiding officer, or
if required by a majority of the qualified voters present.  At each
annual corporate meeting, successors to those trustees whose terms of
office then expire, shall be elected from the qualified voters by
ballot, for a term of three years thereafter.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1985–2026 · leading case: Matter of Ming Tung v. China Buddhist Assn., 124 A.D.3d 13 (N.Y. App. Div. 2014).
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Matter of Ming Tung v. China Buddhist Assn., 124 A.D.3d 13 (N.Y. App. Div. 2014). · cites it 12× “The dissent maintains that petitioners have standing as members to challenge the actions taken in May 2011, because they meet the alternative definition of "members" in Religious Corporation Law § 195, which is based upon attendance and financial contribution.”
Islamic Ctr. of Harrison, Inc. v. Islamic Sci. Found., Inc., 262 A.D.2d 362 (N.Y. App. Div. 1999). · cites it 2× “The record supports the Supreme Court’s finding that the individual plaintiffs were members, under both the by-laws of ICCNY and the alternative definition of members in Religious Corporations Law § 195 which is based upon attendance and contributions (see, Religious…”
Sillah v. Tanvir, 18 A.D.3d 223 (N.Y. App. Div. 2005). “The individuals who voted at the meeting were members of the corporation within the meaning of Religious Corporations Law § 195, the applicability of which is mandated by Religious Corporations Law § 2-b (1) (a).”
St. Matthew Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Inc. v. Creech, 196 Misc. 2d 843 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2003). “” (Religious Corporations Law § 195.) Such elections for trustees are to be administered by ballot, and the polls are required to be kept open for at least one hour.”
Park Slope Jewish Ctr. v. Stern, 128 Misc. 2d 909 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1985). “Absent any express language to the contrary, a majority of a congregation may change a manner of service (1969 Sup Ct Rev 347, 377; Religious Corporations Law § 195 [regarding majority rule]).”
Chih-Chen Ma v. Wei Li Wang, 2026 NY Slip Op 00975 (N.Y. App. Div. 2026). · cites it 2× “Defendant's challenge to article 13 of the bylaws under Religious Corporations Law § 195 does not call for a different result, as that section does not expressly preclude the enactment of a more robust voting threshold under the religious corporation's bylaws ( see e.”
Iemma v. Congregation Bikur Cholim of Mapleton, 19 A.D.3d 546 (N.Y. App. Div. 2005). “Not-For-Frofit Corporation Law §§ 510, 511, 702, 707; Religious Corporations Law § 195). Accordingly, the Supreme Court correctly vacated its order dated August 7, 2002, denied the motion to compel specific performance, and dismissed the complaint.”
Welz v. Congregation Anshe Meseritz, 112 A.D.3d 449 (N.Y. App. Div. 2013). “The court properly determined that petitioner failed to demonstrate that he was a member of respondent’s congregation (see Religious Corporations Law § 195). The record shows that the in the one-year period between July 2008 and July 2009, petitioner’s attendance at services was…”
Welz v. Congregation Anshe Meseritz, 112 A.D.3d 449 (N.Y. App. Div. 2013). “The court properly determined that petitioner failed to demonstrate that he was a member of respondent’s congregation (see Religious Corporations Law § 195). The record shows that the in the one-year period between July 2008 and July 2009, petitioner’s attendance at services was…”
Sillah v. Tanvir, 309 A.D.2d 674 (N.Y. App. Div. 2003). “Petitioners’ supporters, who called for and voted at the meeting, were members of the corporation within the contemplation of Religious Corporations Law § 195 (Religious Corporations Law § 2-b [1] [a]).”
Srour v. Bd. of Trs. of the Sephardic Congregation of Har Ha Lebanon, Inc., 2004 NY Slip Op 50489(U) (N.Y. Sup. Kings 2004). “, 262 AD2d 362, 363 , lv denied 94 NY2d 752 [affirming Supreme Court's finding that "the individual plaintiffs were members, under both the by-laws of [the Islamic Cultural Center of New York] and the alternative definition of members [contained] in Religious Corporations Law §…”
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