U.S. District Judge Scheduled to Rule On Lawsuit Looking to Trigger Election

Matthew Hersh

A U.S. District Court Judge is scheduled to rule later this morning in a case that would trigger a special gubernatorial election on November 2.

The decision to be handed down by Judge Garrett E. Brown, Jr., represents the closing phase of a case initiated by Princeton attorneys Bruce Afran and Carl Mayer, a former Independent on Township Committee in the mid-1990s.

The two lawyers are arguing that when Gov. James McGreevey announced his intention to resign on August 12, it created a vacancy in the executive office and would thus require a special election.

At a presentation before the Princeton Rotary Club at Doral Forrestal Conference Center, Mr. Afran told a crowd of about 40 people that the "truth is that he is resigning because of corruption."

The Rotary Club is a non-profit business organization that is not politically affiliated.

Mr. Afran also criticized the state's executive structure where the governor is given the power to choose high-level appointees.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one Rotary Club member said he felt that there should be a special election on November 2.

"There should be an election, regardless of politics. I think there should be an election because the governor has resigned," he said, adding that "we should have the opportunity to pick the next governor."

The governor has maintained that the November 15 transition date was not to supercede a special election, but to create a smooth transition of power.