Robbinsville voters overwhelmingly approved Nov. 8’s ballot question on moving the township’s nonpartisan municipal elections from May to November, pushing the issue on to the township council.

The only township matter on the ballot for Election Day 2011, the non-binding referendum received 1,909 positive votes and 262 no votes, a 76 percentage-point victory. With the approval, it is now up to the township council to determine whether it wishes to pursue the change. Council must pass an ordinance to make the switch official. It has two chances to do so: council meetings on Dec. 8 and Dec. 22.

Until last year, state law required townships with nonpartisan governments to hold municipal elections in May. Townships footed the bill for these elections. The state changed its mind in 2010, and the first nonpartisan November elections were held last month.

In an interview last year, municipal clerk Michele Seigfried estimated the township stood to save $28,000 per election should Robbinsville switch to November elections. By having township elections along with those on higher levels of government, it allows the township to share the cost with the county. Proponents also say it could increase voter turnout for municipal races. Foes worry the move will allow political parties to influence the nonpartisan races.

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Elsewhere on the Nov. 8 ballot, incumbents ruled the day. Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) defeated Rich Kanka (R-Hamilton) for a full term as the state senator from the 14th District. Democrats Daniel Benson and Wayne DeAngelo, both from Hamilton, beat Republican challengers Sheree McGowan, a Robbinsville councilwoman, and Wayne Wittman, the former mayor of Cranbury.

Democratic imcumbents swept at the county level, too, with county executive Brian Hughes, freeholders John Cimino, Samuel Frisby and Lucylle Walter, sheriff Jack Kemler and surrogate Diane Gerofsky all winning.