Polling stations will be open Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
By: Emily Craighead
Polling stations across New Jersey will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday as voters cast ballots to elect a new governor, General Assembly representatives, and municipal and county officials.
In the race for governor, Democrat Sen. Jon Corzine of Hoboken faces Republican Doug Forrester of West Windsor in a tight race. Property taxes have been a central issue throughout the campaigns, with Sen. Corzine proposing a constitutional convention and Mr. Forrester advocating a 30 percent reduction in property taxes over three years.
Other gubernatorial hopefuls are Wesley K. Bell, whose platform includes ending pay-to-play; Hector H. Castillo, whose slogan is "Education not Corruption"; Edward Forchion, who is campaigning to legalize marijuana; Socialist Workers Party candidate Angela L. Lariscy; Michael Latigona running on a "One New Jersey" platform; Libertarian candidate Jeffrey Pawlowski; Socialist Party USA candidate Constantino Rozzo and Green Party candidate Matthew J. Thieke.
Assembly District 14, which includes West Windsor and Plainsboro townships, features a face-off between Republican incumbent Bill Baroni and running mate Michael Paquette, former South Brunswick police chief, and Democratic incumbent Linda Greenstein and her running mate, Dan Benson, a Hamilton Township councilman. Also running are Libertarians William Hunsicker of Trenton and Jason M. Scheurer of Princeton.
In the 15th Assembly District, covering the Princetons, Democratic incumbents Bonnie Watson Coleman of Ewing and Reed Gusciora of Princeton are running against Republicans Tom Mavis of Princeton and Robert McCready of Trenton.
In Assembly District 16, which encompasses Montgomery Township and Rocky Hill Borough, Republican incumbents Christopher "Kip" Bateman of Branchburg and Pete Biondi of Hillsborough face Democrats Michael Goldberg of Hillsborough and Charles Eader of Bedminster.
In the Mercer County race for sheriff, Republican Paul K. Lagana is running against Democratic incumbent Kevin C. Larkin. The candidates for County Clerk are Republican incumbent Catherine DiCostanzo and Democrat Paula Sollami Covello.
Princeton Borough voters will choose among Democratic incumbents David Goldfarb and Mildred Trotman, and challenger Joshua Leinsdorf, a Princeton Regional Board of Education member running as an independent, to fill two open seats on the Borough Council.
In Princeton Township, the candidates vying for two seats on the Township Committee are Republicans Tom Pyle and Gordon Bryant, and Democrats Vicky Bergman and incumbent Bernie Miller.
Montgomery Township voters will choose between the Democratic incumbent, Deputy Mayor Karen Wintress, and Republican Ed Sherman for one open seat on the Township Committee.
In Plainsboro, Democratic incumbent Mayor Peter Cantu faces Republican Bill Zeltman.
Republicans Eileen Uhrik and Brian Griner and independent Brad Merritt are seeking the two vacant seats on Rocky Hill Borough’s six-member council.
Statewide, voters will accept or reject two public questions.
The first question would amend the state constitution to establish the office of lieutenant governor. The lieutenant governor, who would be elected with the governor, would take over when the governor is unable to serve. The first lieutenant governor would be elected in 2009.
The second question, if approved, would expand permitted uses of 4 percent of the Corporation Business Tax, which has been constitutionally dedicated to fund environmental programs. It would also change the way those funds are allocated among hazardous discharge cleanup and water-quality products. Money would be allocated to control emissions from diesel engines and for the underground storage tank program.
In West Windsor, voters will face an open-space tax referendum. A "yes" vote would reduce the open-space tax to 5 cents per $100 of assessed value for one year. A "no" vote would keep the open-space tax at 7 cents per $100 of assessed value. The referendum was prompted by anticipated increases in West Windsor property values following this year’s reassessment.
There are no local elections in West Windsor on Tuesday, because nonpartisan elections were held in May.

