HOBOKEN – After an almost hour-long discussion, the council voted 5-4 on Wednesday night to move Hoboken’s municipal council and mayoral elections from May to November.
The council, as a consequence of the legislation, also extended their terms by six months, as well as the term of Mayor Dawn Zimmer. The first election to be moved will be the May 2013 mayoral and council election, which will now take place in November 2013.
Speakers in a public hearing at the meeting had varying opinions on the issue before the council took their vote.
“We want our own election in our own town,” said Mo DeGennaro, who spoke against the legislation.
Jonathan Wharton, a political science professor at Stevens Institute of Technology, spoke at the meeting, advocating for the change.
“There are a number of Stevens students who aren’t going to be here in June,” Wharton said, speaking about runoffs. “I think that in my professional opinion, this is a good beginning and you’re going to get a larger turnout.”
A state law allows council candidates to extend their terms to move elections to November, but does not allow them to reduce their terms to move the elections to the previous November.
Councilman Michael Russo voted against the legislation, and said the issue should be put out for the public to vote on by way of a referendum. When he put forth an amendment to ask the public to vote on the issue, allies of Zimmer voted it down. Instead, the council voted to move the elections to November by a 5-4 vote, with Zimmer’s allies voting yes, and her opponents voting no.
Council President Ravinder Bhalla called the legislation “a no-brainer,” adding that he hopes it will increase voter participation in November.
The council also voted on a $106 million budget on Wednesday that will provide an approximately 8 percent tax decrease, and will maintain a 5 percent cash surplus.
For more on the council meeting, pick up a copy of The Hoboken Reporter this weekend. – Ray Smith