By Donald Gilpin

Princeton voters will head to the polls next Tuesday to vote for candidates for governor, State Assembly, State Senate, Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders, County Sheriff, Princeton Town Council, and the Princeton Board of Education. They will also weigh in on two public questions.

Council candidates David Cohen and Leticia Fraga, though unopposed in their bid for two seats to be vacated when Bernie Miller and Jo Butler step down on January 1, have been busy.

Cohen, an architect, Planning Board member and Princeton Community Democratic Organization treasurer, emphasized the importance of planning for change and shaping “the kind of town Princeton will become over the course of the 21st century.”

Noting the widespread local concern with housing affordability, Fraga, board chair of the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LALDEF), vice chair of the Princeton Human Services Commission, and chair of the Princeton Civil Rights Commission, asserted her ongoing commitment to “justice, equal rights, and access to basic needs for all.”

Fraga pointed out some of the economic challenges for Princeton “in rentals, sales, and in the growing difficulty longtime residents have in being able to afford to age in place. Other complex issues confronting us include ensuring that our small businesses are able to thrive here, and that working people in our community can earn a living wage.”

Elaborating on the unusual qualities of Princeton and the importance of attending to the needs and interests of its residents and neighborhoods, she continued, “Princeton is unique among New Jersey towns. It is a beautiful town with a strong sense of community. We thrive economically due to both the University and thriving business, but we also have a large economic diversity that needs to be paid attention to. We need to ensure Princeton continues to be a town that values the interest of its people and neighborhoods.”

Fraga concluded, “From affordability to transit to public safety, we can work together to ensure equitable solutions to these challenges. My goal is to seek community-based solutions that build a stronger Princeton for shared prosperity.”

Cohen pursued his central campaign theme of change. “I keep hammering on the fundamental truth that change is inevitable, and if we stick our heads in the sand and try to pretend we can have the same kind of Princeton indefinitely into the future, we will wind up with change we don’t want,” he said. “It is happening already in the form of modest homes being torn down at an alarming rate and replaced by homes three and four times the cost! Better to plan for change and have a chance to steer it in the right direction.”

Cohen went on to discuss the concerns of residents he has talked with during the campaign and the kinds of change they want. “Most of the Princetonians I talk to value socio-economic, cultural, and generational diversity. Most value sustainability and protecting the planet for our children and grandchildren. Most value the aesthetic appeal of our community. And most value the fundamental premise that sharing with others the benefits we enjoy ourselves is the right thing to do. Luckily, i believe all these values can be preserved and even enhanced while allowing our town to grow. In fact they are dependent on allowing it to grow in an intelligent way.”

Other contests on November 7 are more hotly contested, with Democrat Phil Murphy and Republican Kim Guadagno vying for governor, one of only two gubernatorial races in the country this November. Also on the ballot to succeed Governor Chris Christie are Independent Gina Genovese, Green Party candidate Seth Kaper-Dale, Matthew Riccardi of the Constitution Party, Libertarian Peter J. Rohrman, and Vincent Ross of the We the People Party.

Six Princeton School Board candidates for just three seats include Beth Behrend, Jess Deutsch, James Fields, Jenny Ludmer, Julie Ramirez, and Michele Tuck-Ponder.

Incumbent Christopher “Kip” Bateman, a Republican, is seeking to defend his State Senate seat in the 16th legislative district against Democratic challenger Laurie Poppe, while Democrats Andrew Zwicker, an incumbent, and Roy Freiman are running for two positions in the State Assembly against Republicans Donna Simon and Mark Caliguire.

For two three-year terms on the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders, there are four candidates: two Democratic incumbents, John A. Cimino and Lucylle R.S. Walter; and two Republicans, Jeff Hewitson and Michelle Noone.

Incumbent Democrat John “Jack” Kemler is running against Republican Charles “Chuck” Farina for Mercer County Sheriff.

Public Question 1 concerns support for a state bond issue that provides grants to public libraries, and Public Question 2 raises the issue of allocating state revenue from legal settlements on environmental contamination to restore and protect natural resources in New Jersey.