This Act shall not become operative in any city unless and until the voters thereof shall determine by referendum held in accordance with a resolution adopted by the City Council or governing body pursuant to this Act that the same shall apply thereto. The question shall be placed upon the ballot in substantially the following form:
A. 
If this Act shall be adopted by any city governed at the time of its adoption by Chapter 250 of the Laws of 1908, it shall operate in lieu thereof, and any offices filled at the general election at which this Act was adopted shall be for an initial term of four years if the election was held at the same time the General Assembly was being elected, otherwise for an initial term of three years, the term commencing 12:00 o'clock noon of January 1 next succeeding the election, notwithstanding the fact that the term of office would have been for a different period if the voters had not approved the revision. Any officials elected and in office as of the time of the adoption of this Act as provided herein and whose offices were not to be filled at the same general election as the adoption hereof shall continue in office and their term shall be extended to 12:00 o'clock noon of the January 1 following two years prior to the expiration of the terms of the official elected simultaneously with the adoption of this Act by any city. The term of any appointed official whose appointment was made for a term commencing with the term of the Mayor and coterminous therewith shall be extended so that it shall remain coterminous with the term of the Mayor and expire at the same time as the term of the Mayor.
B. 
If this Act shall be adopted by any city governed at the time of its adoption by any state law other than said Chapter 250 of the Laws of 1908, such municipality shall continue under its present form of government until 12:00 o'clock noon of the January 1 next following the year in which the next succeeding General Assembly is to be elected, and all persons appointed and elected in office at the time of adoption of this Act shall continue in office until the said time. There shall be nominated at the primary election at which candidates for the General Assembly are to be nominated next following the adoption of this Act, a Mayor and two Councilmen from each ward, one Councilman from each ward to serve a term of two years from the date of commencement of government under this Act and the Mayor and remaining Councilman from each ward to serve a term of four years from the said date of commencement. The ballot at the primary election for nomination and at the general election for election to the office of Councilman shall specify, in a manner provided by the County Clerk, the term for which each candidate for Councilman seeks office during the initial election therefor. Any subsequent elections after the initial election shall be for a term of office as provided under Article II.