Suit filed to change referendum language for moving Jersey City municipal elections

JERSEY CITY — Opponents of the proposed referendum to change municipal election in Jersey City from May to June filed suit to halt the publishing of sample ballots, claiming the referendum explanation is confusing and could violate state law in regard to the city’s form of government.
The suit filed in Hudson County Superior Court on Sept. 1 asked the court to intervene in order to clarify the language. This group previously won a similar suit last year in regards to a non-binding referendum that voters narrowing approved last November.
Hoping to get a better result this November, the City Council authorized a new binding referendum to be put on the ballot for the upcoming election.
But in filing the lawsuit, opponents questioned whether the referendum would change the city’s form of government from non partisan and whether or not runoff elections – which currently are required if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote – would be retained.

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