Ruth Luse

By: centraljersey.com
In Hopewell Valley, the Nov. 2 general election features contests for seats on governing bodies in Hopewell Township and Pennington Borough.
Is also features a highly contested race between an incumbent Democrat, who lives in Hopewell Township, and a Republican newcomer, who resides in Princeton Borough, for District 12’s sole U.S. Congressional seat.
Ballots will feature:
In Hopewell Township, where campaigning has been heated, Republican incumbents James C. Burd, of Nursery Road, and Michael Markulec, of Fiddlers Creek Road, are seeking re-election to three-year terms on the Township Committee. Their opponents are Democrats Michael Kosloski, of Fiddlers Creek Road, and Erika Kotite, of Harbourton-Rocktown Road.
In Pennington, two seats (three-year terms) on Borough Council will be filled Tuesday. Candidates are: incumbent Democrat Thomas Ogren, of East Curlis Avenue; Democrat Alyce McClurg Doldy, of Burd Street; and Republican Eva Kaplan, of Railroad Place.
In Hopewell, Democratic incumbents David Mackie, of West Prospect Street, and Timothy Sean Jackson, of South Lanning Avenue, are seeking re-election to the two open seats (three-year terms) on Borough Council. No Republicans are on the Nov. 2 ballot.
– Valley voters also will pick a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for a two-year term: Candidates are: incumbent Democrat Rush Holt, of Hopewell Township; Republican Scott Sipprelle, of Princeton Borough; and Kenneth J. Cody (Truth, Vision, Hope), of Princeton.
– Voters also will choose a Mercer County clerk and two members of the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Candidates for clerk (five-year term) are: incumbent Democrat Paula Sollami-Covello, of Lawrenceville; and Republican Gino A. Melone, of Trenton.
Candidates for freeholder posts (three-year terms) are: Democrats – Anthony P. Carabelli, of Trenton, and Andrew Koontz, of Princeton; and Republicans – Russell Wojtenko Jr., of Princeton Junction, and James V. Castelize III, of Ewing.
In addition, the state is asking voters to say yes or no to a proposed constitutional amendment that would dedicate assessments on wages by the state to the payments of employee benefits.
If this ballot question is approved, a new paragraph would be added to Article VIII of the State Constitution that would dedicate wage-based employee benefit funds, and all returns on the investment of them, to the purpose of the fund.
The Legislature and executive branch would not be allowed to borrow the funds nor use them for any other purpose. The cost of administering the funds would be paid from the funds. A full analysis of the ballot question’s implications – including reasons to vote yes, as well as reasons to vote no – can be found on the NJ League of Women Voters website at www.lwvnj.org/. Click on November 2010 Ballot Question Analysis.
Polling places on Nov. 2 will be open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
Additional voter information is available from the League of Women Voters, 1-800-792-VOTE, or on the web at www.njelections.org.