TINTON FALLS – Voters in Tinton Falls are making their voices heard on a local public question regarding the elimination of run-off elections in Tinton Falls.
The question residents voted on during the Nov. 3 election asks “Shall the Borough of Tinton Falls abandon the holding of run-off elections as permitted by the ‘Uniform Nonpartisan Elections Law?’ ”
As of Nov. 8, according to unofficial results posted online by the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office, 6,549 people had voted “yes” and 2,883 people had voted “no” on the public question.
Mail-in ballots will continue to be counted, as will provisional ballots that were cast at the borough’s polling locations on Election Day. The results of the election will not be official until they are certified.
At the present time, according to an ordinance that placed the question before voters, “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.
Municipal officials said a “yes” vote on the ballot question “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.
A “no” vote on the ballot question “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.”
