In the event of a favorable vote on a proposition submitted pursuant to the provisions of section 8 of this amendatory and supplementary act, the first election of members of the board of chosen freeholders under that adopted proposition shall take place at the next general election immediately following that adoption, except that in the case of a county which has adopted the county executive plan form of government set forth in Article 3 of P.L. 1972, c. 154 (C. 40:41A-31 et seq.), the first election of members of the board of chosen freeholders under the provisions of the adopted proposition shall take place as follows:
In November of the general election year in which the first members of the board of chosen freeholders under any form of government adopted pursuant to P.L. 1972, c. 154 (C. 40:41A-1 et seq.) are elected pursuant to the provisions of the adopted proposition and this section, the terms of all incumbent members of the board of chosen freeholders shall be deemed terminated at noon on the first Monday following the election of the new board of chosen freeholders. On that date, the newly elected freeholders shall take office and the new board shall organize itself accordingly, but their terms of office shall expire as if they had taken office on January 1 in the year following their election and in accordance with the following terms:
The length of the terms specified in subsections (1) through (3) of this section shall be determined by a drawing to be conducted by the county clerk 60 days prior to the general election at which the first members of the board of chosen freeholders are elected pursuant to the provisions of the adopted proposition.
In all elections after the first election, all members shall be elected for four year terms beginning on January 1 of the year following their election.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent an incumbent freeholder from becoming a candidate for the new board, even if his present term on the board has not yet expired.
N.J.S. § 40:41A-149