A divided Jersey City Council adopted an ordinance at its Jan. 13 meeting that would put a binding referendum on the November ballot to decide if municipal elections should be moved from May to November in time for the 2017 elections.
This is a repeat of a non-binding resolution that voters narrowly approved last November.
Bending to criticism that the 52 to 48 percent passage of the non-binding resolution did not signify a mandate for change, the city council opted to adopt a binding resolution instead.
While the ordinance does not do away with runoff elections, Mayor Steven Fulop said last month that he intended to propose a second ballot question that would.
The ordinance will allow voters during a high turnout presidential election to choose whether or not to move the elections.
Déjà vu all over again
