Scotia McRae, Princeton
To the editor:
Many people in Princeton do not realize that their representatives in the New Jersey Senate and Assembly are all Republicans. Yes! It’s true. If you don’t believe me go to:http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#16.
How did this happen? As a result of the 2010 national census, New Jersey State Legislative Districts were redrawn. Princeton was transferred from State Legislative District 15 — represented by three Democrats — to State Legislative District 16, represented by three Republicans, one of them endorsed by the Tea Party.
All of them have voted to back Gov. Chris Christie’s initiatives to roll back environmental advances, decimate funding for women’s health care and divert money intended for transportation infrastructure (including turning down $3 billion from the federal government to build a second train tunnel from New Jersey to New York), while blaming teachers for everything that is wrong with the state.
We have two excellent Democratic candidates running this year for the New Jersey State Assembly: Andrew Zwicker, a scientist and educator, and Maureen Vella, an attorney who gave up a judgeship in order to run. Check them out at: http://www.zwickervella.com.
Your vote will be crucial on Nov. 3. It is an off year for elections to national office, which usually means that turnout will be low. If you don’t vote, State Legislative District 16 will continue to be represented by Republicans. If you do, there’s a good chance it won’t.
Better yet, don’t wait until Nov. 3 to vote. You can get an application for a mail-in ballot that you can fill out ahead of time so you don’t need to worry about getting to the polls. You can request a vote-by-mail application from the Mercer County Clerk, http://nj.gov/counties/mercer/officials/clerk/elections/index.html, or better yet, pick one up at the Zwicker/Vella headquarters in Princeton in the McCaffrey’s building, on the second floor down the hall from the ballet studio and the dentist.
Make your vote count!
Scotia W. MacRae
Princeton
