TINTON FALLS – Run-off elections in municipal races in Tinton Falls will be eliminated after a majority of people who voted on a public question in the Nov. 3 election gave their nod of approval for that course of action.
The question residents voted on asked “Shall the Borough of Tinton Falls abandon the holding of run-off elections as permitted by the ‘Uniform Nonpartisan Elections Law?’ ”
As of Nov. 18, according to unofficial results posted online by the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office, 7,454 people (69.13%) had voted “yes” and 3,329 people (30.87%) had voted “no” on the public question.
The results of the election will not be official until they are certified. According to the county clerk’s website, as of Nov. 18, approximately 99% of election night mail-in ballots have been processed; approximately 53% of ADA machine ballots have been processed; and approximately 94% of provisional ballots have been processed.
According to a municipal ordinance that placed the public question before voters on Nov. 3, at the present time, “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 explaining the proposal to residents, municipal officials explained that a “yes” vote on the ballot question “would eliminate run-off elections in Tinton Falls, so 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.
Municipal officials explained that 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.”
