Democrats challenge judge's ruling on how to shrink Salem freeholder board

SALEM -- Salem County Democrats are asking a higher court to overturn a judge's ruling on how Salem County will proceed in shrinking its freeholder board seven to five members.

Earlier this month Superior Court Judge Anne McDonnell ruled that county clerk Gilda Gill could proceed with her plan to elect five new freeholders in the November 2017 election and seat them the next week.

McDonnell's March 9 decision also allows Gill to continue with her plan to determine the length of terms of office those five would vie. She has decided they would be one one-year term, two two-year terms and two three-year terms.

When they learned of Gill's plan, Democrats filed suit to stop it.

Attorney Michael Miles, representing the Democrats, filed his appeal to McDonnell's decision with the Appellate Division of Superior Court in Trenton on Monday.

Read more: http://www.nj.com/salem/index.ssf/2017/03/democrats_challenge_judges_ruling_on_how_to_shrink.html