Council talks of town's 'bipartisanship'

By Daniel Jackovino, Staff Writer
A Bloomfield Township Council vote to study changing municipal public office elections from partisan to non-partisan failed to gain a majority Monday during a workshop meeting.
The council’s vote was 3-3 with Mayor Raymond McCarthy, Councilmen Nicholas Joanow and Bernard Hamilton voting for further consideration. Voting against any change were Councilmen Michael Venezia, Carlos Bernard and Elias Chalet. Councilwoman Margaret Dunigan abstained, citing impending knee surgery, saying she didn’t want to approve a measure without being available to discuss it.
Hamilton, who placed the topic on the agenda, said “It opens up participation for residents, especially the undeclared.” He acknowledged there would be political pros and cons. Independent, or undeclared, voters in New Jersey are not allowed to vote in primaries but may vote in general elections. Bernard asked the council why a dramatic change was even necessary.
Hamilton’s contention was that if the town’s municipal elections were non-partisan, they could be held once, during the November general elections. This method is encouraged by the state’s lawmakers as a cost-saving measure, but is optional.
Currently, non-partisan elections are also held in May. Non-partisan municipalities can choose to change the date of its elections from May to November by passing a local ordinance. To be on the ballot of a non-partisan election, candidates are required to file a petition of signatures to the Board of Elections.
Consequently, for Bloomfield to change to non-partisan elections, it must first change to a non-partisan government. This would require the council to pass an ordinance for a referendum that would place the question before the voters. The question would be if Bloomfield’s government should become non-partisan.
If the voters approved, the state Legislature would then be petitioned to accept the change. If the state were to accept the voters’ decision, Bloomfield could then hold its municipal elections in May or November, as determined by local ordinance.
Venezia said in a telephone interview yesterday that Hamilton’s idea to change the elections wouldn’t save residents money.
“The elections would still cost the same,” he said. “We would still have to pay for June primaries and November’s general elections.”
Venezia was addressing the fact that local elections are held to also fill county, state and national offices.
Joanow said that while he supports non-partisan elections, he wanted it clarified for the general public what the change would mean to the operations of their government. Hamilton and the mayor assured Joanow that the machinations of Bloomfield government would not change.
“I understand that,” Joanow replied. “But, by changing elections and partisanship, we are changing how we operate, especially since we are now represented by two different congressmen.”
Joanow was alluding to the recent congressional redistricting that cuts Bloomfield in two.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Joanow, who was recently re-elected without party backing, said he supports non-partisan elections although he believes the eventual cost-savings cannot be assumed, and must be more closely investigated.
“Non-partisan elections would be more,” Joanow explained. “And it would force the electorate to get to know the candidates and not the party label.”
At the meeting, the mayor requested that Hamilton reintroduce the topic later in the month when it is assumed Dunigan
will return. The mayor also said
it would give the township attorney an opportunity to research the
subject.