Hopewell Valley June primaries will be contest-free

There will be a race in November for two open Hopewell Township Committee seats.

By Ruth Luse
   There will be no primary election battles in Hopewell Valley on June 7.
   And in Hopewell Borough and Pennington Borough, unless things change, there will be no contests for open seats in the November general election, either.
   — On Monday, the deadline for filing as a candidate for the June primary, only two Hopewell Borough residents filed for the two seats open on Hopewell Borough Council. They are incumbent Republicans Schuyler Morehouse of East Prospect Street and Robert Lewis of West Broad Street. No Democrats filed.
   Mr. Lewis was appointed to council in December to replace Councilwoman Janice "Jolly" Leigh (Republican).
   — In Pennington Borough, where no Republicans filed, the two candidates are incumbent Democrats James Lytle of Laning Avenue and Edwin Weed Tucker of Woolsey Court. Two Pennington Borough Council seats will be filled in November.
   — In Hopewell Township, where there will be a race in November for two open Hopewell Township Committee seats, two Democrats, incumbent Vanessa Sandom of Harbourton Ridge Drive and John T. Murphy Jr. of New Road, filed. Mr. Murphy is a member of the township’s Planning Board.
   For the Republicans, incumbent Arlene Kemp of Pennington Road and Daniel McKee of Watkins Road will be on primary ballots. Mr. McKee was Mayor Kemp’s unsuccessful runningmate in the November 2002 general election.