Think of it as a May/November romance with your current Montclair town council. Do we move the elections to November (and stay in a relationship with the current town council for another six months)? Or do we stick with May elections and “break up” with this council in May? Among other developments at last night’s council meeting, a special meeting next Tuesday has been scheduled to discuss the election issue. According to the Montclair Times, a letter requesting the special meeting was signed by four councilors — Renee Baskerville, Rich Murnick, Cary Africk and Roger Terry — and presented to Mayor Fried.
A previous resolution to create the commission proposed by Baskerville had failed, but she plans to present a revised version at next week’s meeting. While Baskerville wants a commission to consider the election change, Fried, who called the presentation of the letter “unconventional” because it wasn’t made an agenda item, will miss next week’s meeting, as will councilor Weller-Demming. Fried is also planning to circulate a petition that calls for a referendum on whether to make the May/November switcheroo. A meeting to discuss moving the elections, held in March and sponsored by the League of Women votes, drew an audience of about 35 residents and brought up issues of voter turnout.
Is there a dollar figure (related to the cost of election, not the action or inaction of the current board) available. Given the financial state of affairs prudence would suggest that having all elections in November would be the best way to go.
It’s about $12,500 a year. Not significant and this seems like a very politically motivated move on the part of the Mayor and Weller and Lewis to assure anyone aligned with Blue Wave will have a huge advantage. And I’m a lefty, by the way, and even I find this to be pretty slimy.
Turnout seems to be the magic word. Ignored is the fact that all the coverage of the larger elections would likely swamp any discussion of the issues in our own “little” election. So we might have more bodies, but they’d be less well informed.
So the question becomes one of one’s goals: Is this just a numbers game, or does one want an informed electorate? If one is not interested in informed voters, then I have to wonder what one is hiding.
…Andrew
How about we actually employ some democracy and put the question on the next scheduled ballot and let the voters decide?
I’m not so sure the local issues would get swamped. Other cities manage to hold local and national elections at the same time without much of a problem.
It is ironic, though, that Fried busted his bicycle-riding butt to keep voters from having a say on BOE members, yet suddenly he’s the savior of democracy. Laughable.
@Nickcharles Just because it can be and is done elsewhere doesn’t mean that our current system isn’t better and yielding more awareness within the voters. We also have “non-partisan” elections, which I gather is outside the norm.
But yes, the irony isn’t lost on me. Some people seem to favor Democracy only when it serves them. That’s not really Democracy, is it? Considering that this is supposed to be so liberal a town, some of its leaders seem to have oddly authoritarian ideologies. I suppose they’d argue that it’s the only way to get the trains running on time. Now, if only the trains were running on time.
As for this being on the ballot: I admit to some confusion about that. Isn’t a petition floating around for that right now? Is the Mayor trying to bypass that process via council action? The “Elected BOE” question went through the petition process. Does the Mayor fear that he cannot gather the signatures?
…Andrew
Isn’t a petition floating around for that right now? Is the Mayor trying to bypass that process via council action?
The mayor initially wanted the council to put this on the ballot, but they balked, so then he started the petition drive. He doesn’t support the council forming a commission to study it, and I can’t say I blame him. He’s a buffoon, but forming a commission just sounds like a disaster. Put it on the ballot, let people decide, and be done with it.
Maybe some intrepid reporter can find out from Fried why he supports democracy here, but not for the BOE?
Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a recall referendum along side of Jerry’s election date referendum. “Now that’s New Jersey!”
This is the typical “change things up” in Montclair and it’s not necessarily good for Montclair. Set out set back comes to mind and so does our new sewer bill. Let’s try and fix the screw ups this mayor and town council(and previous) have made before we go blindly into another big screw up.
Leave well enough alone and let’s all agree the residents of Montclair are more informed this time around and we all really get involved in who will be running our town.
That though must just scare the bike-shorts right off of the mayor.
In the upcoming months there will be very important decisions being made that will establish a “course” for the next Council. It is important that people pay attention, and make their wishes known.
Biggest among these in the Redevelopment plan for the DCH properties. It is now published on the town web site after Herculean efforts to get that done.
We also passed a Resolution endorsing environmental “goals.” I urge ALL to read that. It is said if we accomplish these specific goals Montclair will earn National Fame. I think it’s more like InterGalactic Fame.
Then there’s all the laudable efforts regarding Affordable Housing. Again, decisions are being made now.
I don’t understand the problem with a group studying the issue. That’s just more information for the voters to have when choosing whether to sign a petition and – should it get that far – how to vote.
…Andrew
I might be willing to vote for a switch from May to November IF the change took effect in 2014.
Agreed Howard, whatever changes occur should happen after this crew’s term is up. We can’t possibly take an additional 6 months.
I don’t understand the problem with a group studying the issue. That’s just more information for the voters to have when choosing whether to sign a petition and – should it get that far – how to vote.
My problem with the commission is: who gets to be on it, how do they get chosen, what exactly are they going to be studying, and so forth.
This is a fairly simple issue. Should elections be in May or should they be in November? Trust me, people with stake in either side will be out in full force, commission or no commission, so there will be no lack of info about what the change means.