Democrat Yina Moore Elected Borough Mayor In Close Election

Anne Levin

Following an often contentious, five-month campaign, Democrat Yina Moore has been elected mayor of Princeton Borough. Ms. Moore defeated challenger Jill Jachera, the first Republican to run for the office in 12 years. Ms. Moore received 1,117 votes to Ms. Jachera’s 828. (Results were unofficial at press time, and did not include absentee ballots.)

The mayoral race began last June when Ms. Jachera, a lawyer and 17-year-resident of the Borough, entered the primary election as a write-in candidate on the Republican ticket. Ms. Moore, a Borough native, won the Democratic primary over Borough Councilman David Goldfarb.

Ms. Jachera’s run brought several prominent Princeton Democrats over to her campaign. She maintained throughout the race that party affiliations should be put aside in favor of specific issues such as consolidation, establishing a constructive relationship with Princeton University, and addressing the Borough’s budget.

Ms. Moore’s campaign stressed her family’s long history in Princeton and her experience serving on the Regional Planning Board of Princeton, as well as on the boards of Corner House, the Princeton Nursery School, and other community organizations. Her areas of focus have included affordable housing, preserving economic diversity, and land-use-based transportation improvements.

While Ms. Jachera came out in favor of consolidation, Ms. Moore chose not to express an opinion, saying that more research needed to be done and that voters should decide for themselves. Her first order of business after being elected, she has said, is to examine the Borough’s budget, focusing on issues such as taxation and revenue. She will also address issues such as parking and creating more affordable housing for seniors to age in place.

Ms. Moore does not favor Princeton University’s plan to relocate the Dinky terminus and build an arts complex. Her concerns, she has said, have to do with the impact on the transit system as well as the future effects on the environment.

Ms. Moore grew up in Princeton Borough and attended local public schools before graduating from Princeton University and earning a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is currently in her third, five-year term with the Planning Board, on which she has chaired the Zoning Amendment Review Committee and currently heads the Circulation Subcommittee. She served on the Site Plan Review Advisory Board from 1997 to 2000.

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