Session will be on TV
The Hopewell Valley League of Women Voters will hold its annual School Board Candidates’ Forum on March 29.
The 90-minute debate will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the TV studio at Hopewell Valley Central High School, Pennington-Titusville Road, Pennington.
The debate will be broadcast live on Comcast Channel 19 in Hopewell Valley and be rebroadcast at 9 a.m., 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. daily until the day before the election.
The school board and budget election is April 17. Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
Eight candidates seven from Hopewell Township and one from Hopewell Borough are running for three open seats on the nine-member board. There are no seats in Pennington up for election this year.
In the township, seven are vying for two three-year terms. Candidates include Robert Gehm, Werner Graf, Ken Hansen, Kim Newport, Neil Seftor, Aaron Tellier, and James Wulf. Mr. Graf and Ms. Newport, board president, are incumbents.
In Hopewell Borough incumbent Melvin Myers is running unopposed for a three-year term. He has served on the school board since September 2004, when he was appointed to fill a vacancy. The following April he was elected to serve the remaining two years of that term.
The regional board is made up of seven Hopewell Township representatives and one each from Pennington and Hopewell boroughs.
At the Candidates’ Forum, each candidate will have an opportunity to make opening and closing statements, followed by questions from the public. At the close of the program, residents will be able to meet informally with candidates.
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Voter registration deadline The League reminds voters that March 27 is the last day to register or change voting address for the school board/school budget election, which will be held April 17.
Voter registration forms are available from the municipal clerks in Pennington, Hopewell Borough and Hopewell Township; local libraries; and on-line at www.njelections.org. Since registration forms are uniform throughout the state, they may be picked up in any location. They must be returned, though, to the clerk in the county where the applicant resides.
By logging on to www.njelections.org, a resident can print a registration form, complete the required information, then mail it to the Mercer County Commissioner of Registration. Faxed or e-mailed copies will not be accepted, since an original signature is required.
Absentee ballot applications for the school election, available with voter registration forms at the locations named above, must be received by the Mercer County clerk by April 10, if mailed. These applications also are available on-line.
For further information, log on to www.lwvnj.org or call the League of Women Voters of New Jersey at 394-3303. For information about joining the Hopewell Valley League of Women Voters, call President Joann Held at 737-0867.
Voter information is available at 1-800-792-VOTE, or at www.lwvnj.org.

