Millburn 2026 Special Election Results: 'No' Votes Lead, Some Ballots Uncounted (UPDATED)

This article was last updated on June 18

MILLBURN, NJ — Millburn voters went to the polls on Tuesday to answer a big question: should the town revamp the way its government works – including elections?

Residents were asked to vote “yes” or “no” on a referendum that would switch the township to a council-manager style of government.

The “no” votes have a narrow lead, which would defeat the proposal. There are still uncured ballots, provisional ballots and some mail-in ballots that need to be counted, the county clerk’s office said.

As of Thursday, with 100 percent of districts reported, here are the unofficial results, according to the Essex County Clerk’s Office:

• YES – 1,875 votes (49.33%)
• NO – 1,926 votes (50.67%)

There are 181 provisional ballots that are being verified to determine if they should count, Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin said Friday.

The Essex County Board of Elections will count the qualified provisional ballots by Wednesday, June 24 – the last day to “cure” a vote by mail ballot that was denied for a non-matching signature or lack of signature.

In addition, vote by mail ballots can still be received from the U.S. Postal Service until Monday, June 22 as long as those ballots are postmarked Election Day or prior.

WHAT IS THE ELECTION ABOUT?

Need a refresher about what’s at stake?

Currently, members of the township committee are elected to three-year terms in annual, partisan elections, with either one or two seats up for election each year. Learn more about voting in Millburn here.

Here are some things that will change if the referendum passes:

• Nonpartisan local elections would be held every other November
• Seven council members would be elected at-large to staggered, four-year terms
• The mayor would be selected from among council members by a majority vote of the council
• Initiative and referendum powers would be available to Millburn residents, allowing citizen groups to propose legislation or call a referendum without involving elected officials
• A municipal manager would be appointed under state statute

If the referendum passes, all seven members of the new council would be chosen in the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. The new government would take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

At its organizational meeting, the new council would select a mayor from among its members and conduct a random drawing to determine which four members serve an initial two-year term and which three members serve a full four-year term — establishing a staggered election cycle going forward.

>> RELATED: Debate Intensifies As Millburn Special Election Nears

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