By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
Because so many new voters registered to cast their ballots in the presidential election Nov. 4, some of them may get a surprise at the polls when they find out they must vote by provisional ballot.
The Hunterdon County Board of Elections had to stop processing the 6,788 registration applications by Oct. 20 to allow the poll books — signature books voters sign at the polls — to be published in time.
The halt to processing came as a directive from the attorney general, according to an election board spokeswoman. Voters who have not made it into the poll books will have to vote by provisional ballot.
Provisional ballots are given to voters who claim they have a right to vote but are challenged at the polls for a variety of reasons. The county Board of Elections must later certify the provisional ballots.
”It will be a chaotic day,” predicted board spokeswoman Beth Thompson.
Before the attorney general’s directive, workers at the Board of Elections had been putting in 12- to 15-hour days as well as Saturdays and Sundays to process the new applications.
A judge at the county courthouse in Flemington will be on call all day Nov. 4 to hear the case of anyone who is denied a vote, but who believes he has a right to vote.
Anyone who is denied a vote or a provisional ballot at the polls may call the Board of Elections at 908-788-1190, speak with Laura Cox and request to appear before the judge. The judge may issue an affidavit allowing the vote if he or she deems a voter is rightly allowed to cast a ballot.
”We want to give everyone the opportunity to vote who has a right to vote,” Ms. Thompson said. “We’re here to answer questions and help all day.”
In the 2004 presidential election, 400 people in Hunterdon County asked to appear before a judge to determine their eligibility to vote, according to Ms. Thompson. The Board of Elections will be manning phones from 5 a.m., an hour before the polls open, until after the polls’ 8 p.m. closing.
The Board of Elections has processed as many voter registrations during an eight-week period — almost 6,000 — as it normally does in an entire year, according to Ms. Thompson.
For the June primary, 81,511 voters were registered in the county by May 16, compared to 87,462 for the general election, which were processed by Oct. 20.
The board began keeping track of the numbers Aug. 25 because of an indication registrations would increase as the campaign progressed. The number of registrations rose each week, increasing more as the election drew closer, Ms. Thompson said.
From Aug. 25 to 29, 281 new registrations were processed. By the Oct. 14 registration cutoff, about 1,700 came in, but “quite a few” were duplicates, according to Ms. Thompson.
Some voters erroneously think they must register each year to remain eligible to vote, she said.
Voter registration has increased on the local level as well. In Lambertville, 277 new registrations raised the number of registered voters from 2,822 in May to 3,099 in October. Democratic registrations went from 1,319 to 1,409. Republic registrations went from 548 to 566. Unaffiliated voters increased from 955 to 1,124.
In West Amwell, 108 new registrations raised the number of registered voters from 1,993 to 2,101. Democratic registrations went from 486 to 509. Republican registrations went from 751 to 752. Unaffiliated voters went from 756 to 838. There were also two new Green Party registrations.
In Stockton, 12 new registrations raised the number of registered voters from 393 to 405. Democratic registrations rose from 166 to 167. Republican registrations remained steady at 130. Unaffiliated voters rose from 95 to 107. Also, Libertarian registrations decreased from two to one.
Lambertville voters will be asked to expand the purpose of the 2-cent open space tax they approved in 2004. The amount of the tax would not increase.
The city wants to use the tax to preserve 6.741 acres. A little more than 5.6 acres fronts York Street with limited frontage along Jefferson Road, and 1.082 acres fronts Jean Street.
The ballot question also asks voters to approve setting aside 10 percent of the collected tax for maintenance and upgrades to the city’s open space purchases and recreational properties, including Ely Field, Mary Sheridan Park and Arnett Park.
If voters shoot down the ballot question, the tax will expire in 2010, after the city completes payment for the $1.4 million Buchanan property voters approved in 2004. The city paid $825,000 of the tab with grants and low-interest loans. The open space tax collects 2 cents for every $100 of a property’s assessed value. About $300,000 has been collected to date.
”The Lambertville Environmental Commission is very much in support of this proposal as it would allow the city to own the entire length of the nature trail on Music Mountain,” said Piper Trelstad, chairwoman of the commission. “Currently, the city owns about half of the trail. The entire trail extends from Alexander Road (the trailhead is above the Philips-Barber Family Health Center) to York Road. Boy Scout Wyatt Brady refurbished the top half of the trail a couple years ago, and the LEC would look to conduct similar trail improvements on the bottom half once the purchase was complete.”
Also in Lambertville, Democrats Beth Asaro and incumbent Ronald Pittore are unopposed for two three-year terms on the City Council.
In West Amwell, voters will choose between two former mayors and return one of them to the Township Committee for a three-year term.
Incumbent Democrat Ron Shapella served as mayor in 2007 and is deputy mayor this year. Republican Thomas Molnar served as mayor in 2006.
In Stockton, Democrats Kathryn Steffanelli and incumbent Neal Esposito are running unopposed for two three-year terms. Also, Andrew Dougherty is unchallenged for a two-year unexpired term.
Polls will be open Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In Lambertville, voters in Wards 1 and 2 may cast their ballots at the YMAC on Wilson Street. Voters in Wards 3-1 and 3-2 may cast their ballots at Centenary United Methodist Church at 108 N. Union St.
In West Amwell, the polls are located at the municipal building at 150 Rocktown-Lambertville Road.
In Stockton, the polls are located at the Stockton firehouse on Mill Street.

