In the 2016 general election, Salem County voters approved a binding referendum to cut the number of freeholders from seven to five as well as a non-binding referendum to cut freeholder salaries by 20%; both initiatives, which had been placed on the ballot as the result of grassroots campaigns opposed to a proposed outsourcing deal, passed by a 3-1 margin. In the wake of the referendum results, Freeholder Director Julie Acton resigned in December 2016 and was replaced by Scott Griscom. In April 2017, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that the reduction in seats will be accomplished through attrition, with the seats expiring at the end of 2017 (held by freeholders Cross, Painter and Vanderslice) being eliminated; in the November 2017 general election there will be one new three-year seat up for vote as well as a two-year unexpired term, so that on January 1, 2018, there will be a five-member freeholder board.