Wyckoff Advances Process to Put Raffle Question on Ballot

Apart from determining the holder of the nation's highest office, voters in Wyckoff have a choice on Nov. 6 – to approve or deny a referendum that would allow raffles to take place in the township.

On Tuesday night, the Wyckoff Township Committee introduced an ordinance that will ask a public question on "games of chance" for the November general election ballot. According to the ordinance, voters in Wyckoff failed to act on a measure to allow for raffles back in 1954.

A May article on northjersey.com reported that religious organizations, booster clubs, non-profits, PTOs and sport groups approached Township Attorney Robert Landel with heavy interest in overturning the current ban to help with fundraising efforts.

Clerk Joyce Santimauro confirmed the requisite number of signatures to pose the question to voters was met, putting in motion the process to likely overturn the policy.

Wyckoff is among the few municipalities in the state where raffles are not permitted, although Landel confirmed they have illegally taken place over the years.

The public hearing for the ordinance's passage is on Aug. 7. The ballot measure does not address bingo, which is still banned.