Red Bank Would Move Local Election Back To November In 2025

RED BANK, NJ — After voters OK'd the change of Red Bank's form of government to nonpartisan last November, a May 2023 election was called.

But with that May 9 election completed and the new Borough Council installed, one of the first orders of business at this week's meeting will be to introduce an ordinance to return future municipal elections to the general election date in November.

According to the Borough Council agenda for Thursday, the council will introduce an ordinance changing the date of the Red Bank regular municipal elections to the same date as the general election held in November as of 2025.

The change to the the general election day allows for more voter participation and is a cost savings to the borough, the proposed ordinance reads. Adoption of the ordinance would also bar a change to a May election for at least 10 years, the ordinance says.

There is no municipal election until 2025, following the May 9 vote that saw the Red Bank's Ready team win all six council seats and keep the mayor's position.

May0r Billy Portman, Deputy Mayor Kate Triggiano and Councilmember Nancy Facey-Blackwood are all serving four-year terms.

In lots drawn for councilmembers at a special meeting on July 6, Councilmembers Ben Forest, Laura Jannone, David Cassidy and Kristina Bonatakis drew lots for two-year terms, to create a staggered election for the municipal government going forward.

All this was prompted under the change of government to a nonpartisan Council/Manager form approved by voters in a November 2022 referendum.

According to the proposed ordinance, the borough's regular municipal elections, currently held on the second Tuesday in May, will "hereafter be held on the date of the general election, which is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November beginning in the year 2025."

The ordinance further requires that "the term of any person in office on the date of the adoption of the ordinance shall be extended until the beginning of the term of the person elected to that office on the day of the general election in November."

You can see the full agenda for Thursday's meeting here. Borough Council meetings are now held on the second and fourth Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.