TINTON FALLS – When the residents of Tinton Falls go to the polls on Election Day, Nov. 3, they will be asked to vote on a local public question.
During a meeting on Aug. 11, members of the Borough Council voted unanimously to authorize a ballot question regarding the elimination of run-off elections in Tinton Falls.
The question residents will be asked to vote on is “Shall the Borough of Tinton Falls abandon the holding of run-off elections as permitted by the ‘Uniform Nonpartisan Elections Law?’ ”
Residents may vote yes or no on the question.
According to the ordinance, “currently, the Tinton Falls charter requires ‘run-off elections to be held … if a sufficient number of candidates fail to attain a majority of votes’ (more than 50%) at the November general election.
“Accordingly, a candidate must receive both the greatest number of votes and a majority of votes cast in order to be declared the winner.
“If a candidate does not receive a majority of votes, then a separate run-off election would be held in early December between the municipal candidates who received the most votes in the general election,” according to the ordinance.
In an interpretive statement regarding the ballot question, municipal officials said a “yes” vote on Nov. 3 “would eliminate run-off elections in Tinton Falls, so that a municipal candidate receiving the greatest number of votes in the November general election would be declared the winner.
“The elimination of runoff elections would result in a cost-savings for Tinton Falls taxpayers, who pay for most of the costs of a run-off election, and would eliminate elections in December, which typically have lower turnout,” according to municipal officials.
The interpretive statement explains that a “no” vote on Nov. 3 “would maintain the current requirement of a run-off election. The primary benefit of a run-off election is that candidates elected to office have received a clear majority (more than 50%) of votes.”
