(Atlantic) On Wednesday, the Atlantic City Council voted on the first reading to change an ordinance from winner takes all to run0ff elections. The ordinance must pass three readings to make the change official.
Under the current “plurality-takes-all” system, one only needs to get the most votes on the first and only ballot to win, meaning less than 50-percent plus 1 is required to become Mayor if votes are scattered among several candidates.
Under the new ordinance, if a candidate receives over 50-percent of the vote, there will be no runoff. However, if the votes are scattered amongst multiple candidates, with no candidate getting 50-percent, the top two vote-getters would be placed on the ballot for a runoff approximately four weeks later. And if just two people are running for a seat, there wouldn’t be a runoff.
The first reading of the ordinance passed 6-1. Grace Garrett, Atlantic City Councilmember at large, voted no. Garrett told the Council some members of the community are confused by the change. She says many of them asked why the change and why now. Garrett says the additional election would also cost the taxpayer $3,000.00.
Garrett asked whether there were enough problems with the current winner-take-all election system to warrant the change.
Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones stated the runoff would only go into effect if multiple candidates are running for the same seat, and no one receives the 50 plus one of the majority of the vote.
Atlantic City Councilman Gerald Brink stated under the winner-takes-all format, someone could win the election with only 25-percent of the vote, which means 75-percent of the voters didn’t vote for that individual.
Again the ordinance must pass three readings before it becomes official.
The Council voted unanimously on the first reading to change the terms of a Park Board member from six years to four years. This new ordinance must also pass three readings before the change is made official.
