The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-01-23
TO CONSOLIDATE:
ELECTIONS
Assemblyman Gibbs Amends
the Meeker Act to AZ
feets Towns, Town
ships and Boroughs
LEADERS FAvORS The BILL
Abolition 81 Spring Elections
Tends to Economy and
Gives Candidates a
Full Vote.
LEADERS FAVORS The BILL
Special to 'The Jersey city News. .

Special to .sThe Jersey city News.',o
TRENTON, January %, 1905 the
bill which Senator Gibbs, of Camden
County. has introduced in the House Of
Assembly becomes law, elections for
officers in every town, township, borough
or other municipality in this State viii
be held with the general election in No.
vember, instead of the spring as at pres
ent.
The bill is regarded as a supplement-
to the Meelxer Act, which abolished
spring elections in all cities and maee it
mandatory to elect all municipal officers
at the general election in November
The officials whose terms will expire
with the spring election VII be allowed
to retain their positions unit. the Janu-
airy following, when their successors
elecred at the November election VII go
info office.
This bill, which now seems almost GER
tain TO pass. as the leaders of both par
ties favor it, win affect Union Hill. West
Hoboken, West New York, Gutenberg.
North Bergen and Secaucus. The terms
of all the officials of these places expir-
ing this spring will be extended to Janu-
airy i, 1906. The bill provides that there
shall be only one election in every town,
township and borough in the State and
that such shall be held at the general
election in November.
Assemblyman Gibbs lives in the town
Of Clementon, Camden county, and is
serving his third term in the House. He
is Republican and stands high in the
councils of his party. Speaking of his
bill yesterday and its prospects of sue
cess, he said:
Il see no reason why spring elections
should not be, abolihed in every town,
townships and borough in the State
What is the necessity of holding two
elections within a year? Why should
the towns and townships be put to the
expense of holding a local election in the
spring when the town officers could be
elected at the general election in Noyem-
ber? 1t would result in a big saving TO
/ the county and also to the towns and
( townships. They would only be compell-
ed to pay the election officers once a
year for their services, while under the
present law they are compelled TO pay
these men twice year for the same
service
mo good reason can be advanced,
| continued Mr.. Gibbs, why the elections
in towns and townships cannot be held
at the general election in November. As
a matter Of fact, not one-haIf of the citi-
zens of town can be induced to take
an active interest in a purely local elec-
ton for town officials, whereas, if the
election for such officers was held in con-
junction with the general election in No
yember, all public-spirited citizens would
become interested and then the eandi-
dates for Office would have no complaint
to make about being unable to get out
the full vote if they were defeated.
Mr.. Gibbs said that the people OF
Camden were almost unanimously in
favor Of abolition and he had received
reports from other quarters Of the State
showing that similar sentiment pre-
vailed in other counties. He said that
he had no doubt but that his bill would
be passed by both Houses with little op-
position.
Regarding the stand Governor Stokes
will take when the bill IS presented to
him, NJ. Gibbs said: Il am almost GER
tain that the Governor viii sign it. He
has seen that the Aleeker Law proved d
success in all cities and i has given uni
versal satisfaction Then why Should
he refuse to sanction bill which would
prove as satisfactory 70 the people.
don't think there IS amy doubt as 70 how
the Governor stands IN regards to This
IAN T1a = Sa,pfh 1arseY4nan a,t.l