The corporation's articles of incorporation may provide for staggering the terms of directors by dividing the total number of directors into 2 or 3 groups, with each group containing, as close as possible, 1/2 or 1/3, as the case may be, of the total. In that event, the terms of directors in the first group expire at the first annual shareholders' meeting after their election, the terms of the 2nd group expire at the 2nd annual shareholders' meeting after their election and the terms of the 3rd group, if any, expire at the 3rd annual shareholders' meeting after their election. At each annual shareholders' meeting thereafter, directors must be chosen for a term of 2 years or 3 years, as the case may be, to succeed those whose terms expire.   [PL 2001, c. 640, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2001, c. 640, Pt. B, §7 (AFF).]