By Donald Gilpin

Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, is less than two weeks away with high-profile races on the ballot for U.S. president and vice president, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and a heated local battle for three seats on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE).

Early voting starts this Saturday, October 26 and continues through November 3, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday at any one of seven Mercer County locations, including the Princeton Municipal Building at 400 Witherspoon Street.

Vote by mail ballots have been mailed to all voters who have requested them, applications continue to be processed, and drop boxes to return those ballots are open throughout the county. Visit the Mercer County clerk’s website at mercercounty.org for locations and further information on the election and ways to vote.

Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello will be mailing out sample ballots in the coming week, and on Election Day the polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. She urges Princeton residents to take note of information on the sample ballot because there have been some changes in Princeton polling locations. Taking your sample ballot with you when you vote will expedite the process, Covello noted.

“Everyone should vote and use their vote as their voice to express their views on the direction of the country and also on taxes and the direction of their schools and how the local government is going to be run,” said Covello. “Those local offices impact citizens most directly.”

She added, “Every election is important, and especially this year when you’ll be voting on who will be leading our country.”

Covello recommended early voting. “I vote early,” she said. “It’s convenient. You can go when you want to go, and you avoid Election Day lines.”

On the ballot for PPS School Board are incumbent Mara Franceschi and new candidates Christopher Santarpio, Lisa Potter, Shenwei Zhao, Ari Meisel, and Erica Snyder, with voters asked to select three of the six.

The intensity of the competition for the three BOE positions has been reflected in a number of local forums, an abundance of lawn signs, and a constant flow of letters in the Town Topics Mailbox in recent weeks. Further information about the candidates is available on the Princeton Parent-Teacher Organization Council (PTOC) website, at princetonptoc.weebly.com, and on candidates’ websites.

In other local contests, Mark Freda is running unopposed for a second term as mayor, and incumbent Leighton Newlin and new candidate Brian McDonald are also unopposed in the election for two seats on Princeton Council.

In the contest for three seats on the Board of County Commissioners, three incumbent Democrats — Samuel Frisby, Kristin L. McLaughlin, and Terrance Stokes — are running against Republicans Andrew Curcio, Pedro Reyes, and Denise “Neicy” Turner.

In the 12th District race for Congress the major party candidates are incumbent Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman and Republican Darius Mayfield. The New Jersey contest for U.S. Senator is pitting Democrat Andy Kim against Republican Curtis Bashaw. At the top of the ballot are major party candidates for president and vice president Kamala D. Harris and Tim Walz for the Democrats and Donald J. Trump and JD Vance for the Republicans.

Covello encourages interested Mercer County residents to visit her Election Page, accessed through the “Election” tab on the left side of the County Clerk’s web page, and to watch the video on voting options for New Jersey residents.

“Whether you prefer mail-in ballots, early in-person voting, or casting your vote on Election Day, this video has all the details you need to make your voice heard,” she wrote. “Don’t miss it —your vote matters!” Princeton Mayor Freda assisted with the two-minute video production and plays a supporting role on screen.