Hoboken mayor calls for council meeting over Labor Day weekend to address Election Day change

HOBOKEN – Hoboken politicos will have to wait a little longer to skip town for the holiday weekend and hit the beach, as Mayor Dawn Zimmer has called for a special council meeting scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 3 at 9 a.m., according to a memo from the clerk’s office to the council members.
The only item on the agenda is the introduction of an ordinance to repeal the change in municipal elections from May to November. The ordinance must be voted on at two meetings before it officially passes, meaning that if the measure passes at the Saturday morning meeting, the council can repeal the change after a public hearing at the meeting on Sept. 7.
In July, the council voted to move municipal mayoral and council elections from May to November, citing a cost savings to the city as well as an expected increased voter turnout. When Zimmer’s allies voted 5-4 to move the elections to November, a team of petitioners took to the streets and gathered at least 2,500 signatures to place the issue on the ballot.
Moving elections might benefit Zimmer because more of her newcomer base would be likely to vote in a regular election than in May, and the move would also have a one-time effect of extending the terms of her and her council people.
After a successful referendum is submitted, the council can either repeal the legislation or put the issue on the ballot to let the voters decide.
Even if the council repeals the Election Day change, voters will still have a chance to vote on a referendum related to the city’s rent control laws. Click here to read about that case.
In November, residents can also vote for the county freeholder position and state legislature representatives. – Ray Smith

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