TERM-LIMIT COMMITTEE ENDS PETITION DRIVE IN ORANGE
ORANGE – The Committee For Term Limits in Orange (CTLO) ended its petition drive. As of late afternoon on Friday 18th, 2023, the committee unofficially gathered 1,721 signatures.
“An official number can be declared once we sit down and find out which signatures are invalid,” said Derrick Henry, CTLO spokesperson.
Signatures declared “invalid” are from those who don’t reside in Orange, or citizens not registered to vote. The committee cited 18 signatures from Newark residents, six from the South Orange / Maplewood area, and two from Union County, despite the petition statement clearly stating those necessary requirements which needed to be met before signing. Moreover, the CTLO has not reviewed voter list(s) for Orange as of yet, at press time.
In correspondence received from the City of Orange’s law department earlier this month by committee members, several “insufficiencies” allegedly cited include questioning the language. and format of the draft ballot question, proposed legislative language, and other “semantic” issues. Also, the letter gave the committee the legal grace period of “10 calendar days” after receipt of notice to file an amended and corrected petition.
The CTLO fully exercised the grace period in available free consultation, and continued to exhaust efforts in its continuing search for representation, namely an experienced election lawyer. There was one “conflict of interest(s)” response, meaning that firm was already retained by the City of Orange Township. Retainer offers received ranged from $16,000 to $20,000 before “a phone call, a letter or a court appearance could be made, even for just a few months” said Henry.
Another arm of the committee and a few researchers did successfully correct the legislative language. Committee members and several supporters also reached out to other “term-limit veterans” from previous attempts, such as those in Morristown and Hoboken.
However, the sample ballot question and the extended interpretative statement still needed to be further remedied by deadline, despite several drafts attempting to comply. They were also advised that due to the rarity and timing of the question, this issue might possibly be an appellate-level, or State Supreme court matter.
By majority vote, the committee decided not to submit signatures to the City Clerk’s office “to enhance the strength and correctness of its petition in form and content in a later relaunch, and for the protection of its supporters,” as stated in part of an official statement, to be released later this week by the CTLO.
“While we expected opposition because we gave Orange voters a new and different voice, we didn’t want to submit signatures to a dead cause without fully being able to realistically defend our movement,” said Ricky Tenant, another CTLO member.
Expressing thanks, the committee issued a press-time statement. “We are, coincidentally enough, almost on par with the previous CEOSB (Committee For An Elected Orange School Board). If we have to accept a legislative stalemate with the city for our opening efforts, so be it.
“No one expected 1,700 signatures in the middle of summer from Orange for a term-limits movement with no digital outreach, just Our need to give Orange an equal chance for all to make decisions on a municipal level, and word of mouth. Imagine what can happen with corrective research, finally having representation, either through one of the legal clinics, angel donors or a GoFundMe page, and relaunching a better-timed petition drive. We stand a more-than-fighting chance to open the doors of Orange City Hall to all of Us.”
