On Monday, Acting Governor Oliver signed into law P.L. 2019, c. 161, which modifies the provisions of the Optional Municipal Charter Law procedure to change the manner of holding certain municipal elections. The new law increased the number of petition signers required or vote of governing body necessary to change the municipal charter from partisan to nonpartisan elections, or vice versa. If the public question to change is made by voter petition the law will now require, the voter petition to be signed by a number of citizens equal to at least 25% of the votes cast in the municipality at the last General Assembly election. If the public question is by ordinance, the ordinance must be approved by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the fully constituted membership of the municipal council. This new law took effect on July 15, 2019.
Contact: Lori Buckelew, Senior Legislative Analyst, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481 x112.