League to host candidate forum

The Monroe Township League of Women Voters will host a meet-the-candidates forum on Oct. 16.

By: Leon Tovey
   MONROE — Even if only the candidates show up, the township chapter of the League of Women Voters will have a crowd at its Oct. 16 meet-the-candidates forum at Monroe Village retirement facility on Half Acre Road.
   The league has invited 17 candidates for state, county and local office to the event, which will run from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
   The candidates for Township Council include incumbent Democrats Henry Miller, Gerald Tamburro and Joanne Connolly for the Ward 1, Ward 2 and Ward 3 seats, respectively. The Republican challengers are Steve Williams and Carlos Lopez for the Ward 2 and Ward 3 seats, respectively. There is no candidate for Ward 1.
   Invited from the 14th Legislative District are Republican state Assemblyman Bill Baroni and Democratic state Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein, and challengers Republican Michael Paquette, Democrat Daniel Benson and Libertarians William Hinsicker and Jason Scheurer.
   Middlesex County freeholder candidates expected to attend are Democratic incumbents David Crabiel and Camille Fernicola, and Republican challengers Jay Boxwell and Andrew Tidd. County clerk candidates Elaine Flynn (the incumbent Democrat) and Joseph Sinagra (the Republican challenger) are also expected to attend.
   League President Ruth Banks said Wednesday that the forum will start with a statement from each candidate and a brief question-and-answer session, before shifting into a "free-for-all" session, where candidates can mingle with residents — and each other.
   "Two years ago, we decided on the meet-and-greet format as opposed to the traditional Q and A session format," she said. "And it’s been very popular with the candidates, who like the interaction with the voters."
   One difference from the last two years will be that candidates’ opening statements will be answers to specific questions asked by the LWV prior to the event, she said.
   "Rather than letting the candidates get up and talk about who they are and where they came from — rather than what they stand for — we decided to make them address specific questions related to the office they are running for," she said.
   The event is free and open to the public and refreshments will be served.