By Mike Morsch, Executive editor
Incumbent Democrats James M. “Jay” Taylor and David W. Cook held on to their jobs Tuesday on the Cranbury Township Committee.
According to unofficial results from Middlesex County, Mr. Taylor garnered 453 total votes, or 32 percent of those cast, while Mr. Cook received 469 total votes, or 33 percent. Each will serve a three-year term.
They defeated Republican challengers Fran McGovern and Sean Deverin, each of whom unoffically received 243 votes, or 17 percent.
Mr. Taylor currently serves as Cranbury mayor.
The victory gives Mr. Taylor an opportunity to continue to pursue what he called before the election “the continuity of an experienced committee that works well together.”
“We have a number of issues that are in play at the moment, such as affordable housing and the continuing need to bring in ratables to relieve the financial pressure on our residents,” Mayor Taylor had said prior to Election Day. “The potential downside of these issues is substantial for the town.”
Committeeman Cook also asked voters to return him to the committee because he also believed there were issues facing the town that needed more time to be solved.
“We have been battling this issue of affordable housing for many years now and I have made it a key issue of my last two terms in office,” Mr. Cook had said before the election. “Right now we are in the final stages of a complete solution that I and my fellow committee members are in the process of presenting to the county board on affordable housing.”
The unofficial breakdown of votes by district includes:
Mr. Cook: District 1 – 163; District 2 – 170; District 3 – 136 for a total of 469.
Mr. Taylor: District 1 – 156; District 2 – 170; District 3 – 127 for a total of 453.
Mr. Deverin: District 1 – 79; District 2 – 112; District 3 – 52 for a total of 243.
Mr. McGovern: District 1 – 74; District 2 – 109; District 3 – 60 for a total of 243.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
