Free Virtual Event on Nonpartisan Elections

Editorial note – Please share and cross post this to family, friends and neighbors. See https://betterholmdel.wixsite.com/home for past postings. If you wish to receive this as an email directly, please send an email to betterholmdel@yahoo.com.]

Free Virtual Event on Nonpartisan Elections

May 18, 2020 - Two months ago, we wrote about New Jersey primary ballot and the political power of “The Line” (see https://betterholmdel.wixsite.com/home/post/the-line). The placement of a party-endorsed candidate in one vertical column (hence it’s called the Line) has a huge advantage that allowed those candidates to almost always win the primary! Advertising companies would be willing to pay millions of dollars for such an advantageous placement, but it also means candidates are beholden to party bosses (typically from outside of the town in local elections) rather than to voters.

Did you know that some towns hold local elections on a nonpartisan basis? This allows voters to decide based on the character and reputation of the candidates and what they can do for the town rather than along party lines. It also allows candidates not to be beholden to powerful party machines.

Now, a new local nonpartisan grassroots group Holmdel First and CILU (Citizens for Informed Land use) are co-hosting a virtual event on Nonpartisan Elections.

Come and hear more about the benefits and the procedure for nonpartisan elections for local government!

The event is free, but you’ll need to register to receive a link by email to the event. You can also send an email to HolmdelFirst@gmail.com to receive a link to register. Registrations will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.

When: May 28, 2020, 7 – 8 PM

Where: Virtual Zoom Event

Registration: https://forms.gle/wkd4NnK2F5SNm93MA

Guest speaker is Kevin Starkey, a partner at the law firm Starkey, Kelly, Kenneally, Cunningham & Turnbach. Over the past 30 years, he has represented many municipal governments with both partisan and nonpartisan elections. He is currently the municipal attorney in Tinton Falls, one of the few towns in New Jersey with nonpartisan elections. He also was the attorney for Jackson Township when it switched from partisan to nonpartisan elections, and in Stafford Township when it switched in the opposite direction.