Elections - Ledger - Q&A on Newark's 2006 Election

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Questions and answers about today's election

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

STAR-LEDGER STAFF

Voters will go to the polls in Newark today and for the first time in 20 years will elect someone who is not named Sharpe James.

The four candidates to replace James, Newark's longest-serving mayor, are businessman David Blount, former councilman Cory Booker, state senator and former deputy mayor Ronald L. Rice and Socialist Worker's Party candidate Nancy Rosenstock.

Newark also will be selecting a nine-member council: one representative from each of the five wards and four at-large representatives. Here are answers to some questions about the election:

Why does Newark vote in May? In 1953, amid a growing sense of discontent with the city's five- member commission form of government, a city Charter Commission studied the issue and suggested the adoption of a nonpartisan mayor and nine-member council. Voters overwhelmingly approved the measure Nov. 3, 1953.

Newark is one of 25 New Jersey municipalities that have nonpartisan elections in May. There have been only four mayors under the new form of government: Leo Carlin (1954-62), Hugh Addonizio (1962-70), Kenneth Gibson (1970-86) and Sharpe James (1986-present).

How much does the mayor make? The mayor earns an annual salary of $167,088 plus health benefits and expenses. He also receives a city car and several full-time personal aides.

How much do council members make? Council members earn an annual salary of $64,766 with an additional $18,000 in expenses, plus health benefits. They also each receive a city car and five full-time personal aides. In addition, council members are allocated money from the city budget for meals, travel, gasoline, stamps and conference fees. The council president makes $71,375, with an additional $20,000 in expenses. The council determines who among them serves a four-year term as council president.

When do winners take office? July 1, 2006.

Who can vote? Newark residents 18 and older who have registered. Voters who moved to Newark more than 30 days ago and are registered to vote in another Essex County town will be asked to vote on a provisional ballot. Their signature on that ballot will be verified by the county Board of Elections before their vote is counted. People who moved to Newark from outside Essex County and did not register are not eligible to vote.

When are the polls open? From 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

How does a candidate win? In the mayor's race, a candidate must obtain 50 percent of the votes cast plus one vote to win outright Tuesday. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the top two vote-getters face each other in a runoff election June 13. The ward council races work the same way.

In the at-large council race, several scenarios can unfold. If no single candidate receives 50 percent of the votes cast plus one, the top eight vote-getters go to the runoff. If only one candidate reaches that threshold, that candidate wins the seat and the next six highest vote-getters go to the runoff for the remaining three seats.

But if two candidates reach the 50-plus-one threshold, there is no runoff. In that scenario, the top four vote-getters would take the four seats.

How does a runoff work? In the runoff, the highest vote-getter for each office takes the seat.

How common are runoffs? Runoffs are very common in Newark races, especially for the at-large council seats. Mayoral runoffs are common, too. There was a runoff in 1958, when Carlin won a second term, and again in 1966, when Addonizio won his second term, beating a challenge by Carlin. In 1970, Gibson beat Addonizio in a runoff and became the first black mayor in a large Northeastern city. The most recent runoff in a mayoral race was in 1982.

How do you report voting problems? Call the Essex County Board of Elections at (973) 621-5070; the Newark City Clerk's Office at (973) 733-3844; the county commissioner of registration/superintendent elections at (973) 621-5061.

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