HARRINGTON RULES: MOUNT HOLLY WILL NOT HOLD A RUNOFF
PLAINTIFFS SEEK A STAY TO THE ORDER SO THEY CAN APPEAL.
By Nick Sodano, Editor
After pitched legal battle about government form and what requirements were in force to keep voters informed, today's hearing ended with fireworks. First, the County’s lawyer Mark Natale launched accusations that the Plaintiffs just wanted “to win the election they already lost” and that a runoff would cause “thousands of people to be disenfranchised” because only a fraction of voters would turn out.
Before retiring to consider his ruling, Judge Harrington rejected Natale’s comments by saying that he didn’t think a runoff would disenfranchise anyone. And yet Judge Harrington ruled that the township did not have to conduct a runoff.
After a detailed explanation of his ruling, Harrington decided to add words of consolation to the Plaintiffs by stating that:
“I can see how people may think that they have a runoff right. By virtue of the fact of the long history where they had it. 1954 to 2013. I could see how they could believe that but the time to deal with all that was some time ago. But nevertheless, even if you believe it, the law is pretty clear to me that the right was extinguished once they adopted the plan amendment in 2013. Even though it was not properly worded, it was given the sanctity of correctness by the passage of time.”
But the fireworks had not concluded. Plaintiff’s lawyer Angelo Genova stated that
“in order to perfect the record, Your Honor, we ask for a stay in your decision.”
Lawyers for the Township and the County of Burlington objected, but Judge Harrington granted a stay until December 16, 2024 in order to give the plaintiffs time to consider filing an appeal with the Appellate Division on an emergent basis.
He went on to say that “if you don’t file and if you are not granted a stay by the 16th, there will be no runoff.”