The month of June is kicking off with the primary election on Tuesday and registered Democrats and Republicans are getting ready to go to the polls to cast their votes for various levels of candi
By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — The month of June is kicking off with the primary election on Tuesday and registered Democrats and Republicans are getting ready to go to the polls to cast their votes for various levels of candidates seeking office from governor to the township committee.
The polls will be open that day from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and the candidates who come out as the victors at the end of the evening will go on to run in the Nov. 5 general election.
This year, voters will be choosing between two Republican and two Democrat candidates seeking their political party’s nod to run for governor in November. On the Republican side, incumbent Gov. Chris Christie is up against Seth Grossman while registered Democrats will select either state Sen. Barbara Buono or challenger Troy Webster for the Democratic Party nomination.
In the 16th Legislative District primary, Republican incumbent Christopher “Kip” Bateman is seeking the Republican party’s nomination and Democrat Christian R. Mastondrea is looking to get the nod from the registered Democrats.
Also in the 16th district, two state Assembly seats are open and Republican incumbents Jack M. Ciattarelli and Donna M. Simon are looking to get the Republican nomination to run for reelection. On the flip side, Democrats Marie Corfield and Ida Ochoteco are seeking their party’s nod.
For the Sheriff primary, Republican incumbent Frank Provenzano is seeking his party’s nomination while on the other side of the political fence is Richard E. Arline, who is running to get the Democratic nomination.
There is one seat open for the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Republican incumbent Patricia Walsh wants her party’s approval. On the Democrat side is Keiona R. Miller.
At the municipal level, there are only two Republicans on the primary ticket — incumbents Mayor Ed Trzaska and Deputy Mayor Patricia Graham, who are seeking the Republican voters’ approval to run to keep their seats. No candidates from the Democratic Party filed petitions to run in the primary. Registered voters who live in the general election districts 2, 3 and 4 are to go the Elks Lodge on Route 518 in Blawenburg and those in districts 5, 6, 11, 12 are to go to the Montgomery Evangelical Free Church on Griggstown Road. Cherry Valley Country Club is the polling location for voters in districts 19 and 16 and the Montgomery United Methodist Church on Sunset Road in Belle Mead is the polling location for those in districts 14 and 15.
Voters in districts 1 and 13 are to cast their ballots at the Central Jersey Masonic Center on Kingston-River Road and those in districts 7 and 8 are to go to the municipal building on Route 206. The Pike Run Recreation Center on Pike Run Road in Belle Mead is the polling location for voters in districts 10 and 17, the EMS building on Harlingen Road in Belle Mead is for district 8 and Stonebridge at Montgomery on Hollinshead Spring Road in Skillman is for district 18.
Residents who are unsure of their district or polling location can check out the voter district map under the voter information tab on the township website at www.montgomery.nj.us. They can also contact the township clerk or the Somerset County Board of Elections at 908-231-7084 for more information.