Record Number of Princeton Dems Join Local Club: Endorsement Meeting Moved to Larger Venue

The Princeton Community Democratic Club is moving its candidate endorsement meeting to a larger venue because a record number of people have signed up to be members and vote at the March 25 gathering.

Members will meet at the Jewish Center of Princeton to endorse candidates for local office to serve the united Princeton. The meeting was previously scheduled for the Suzanne Patterson Center.

Normally the number of registered PCDO members is in the high 300s or low 400s, but sources say more than 570 members have registered this year, with interest running higher than usual because of consolidation and the contested mayoral and governing body primaries.

Two Democratic candidates are vying for the local club’s mayoral endorsement, Borough Councilman Kevin Wilkes and Township Committeewoman Liz Lempert.

Ten Democrats are seeking the PCDO endorsement for the six seats available on the new governing body. Borough Council incumbents Jo Butler, Jenny Crumiller, Heather Howard, and Roger Martindell are seeking seats on the new governing body along with Borough Mayor Yina Moore. Township Committeemen Lance Liverman and Bernie Miller are also seeking re-election. Three newcomers are seeking seats on the council: Scott Silars, Tamera Matteo and Patrick Simon.

To be eligible to vote on March 25, PCDO Members must have joined or renewed their memberships and paid their 2012 dues by Sunday, March 11, two weeks before the meeting.

The Jewish Center of Princeton is located at 435 Nassau St. (between Cedar Lane and Riverside Drive). The endorsement schedule is as follows:

6:00pm    Registration opens (member check-in and ballot distribution)
Registration will close when the Council debate concludes.

6:30pm    Program begins

6:45pm    Mayor debate (30 minutes)

7:15pm    Council debate (1 hour)

8:15pm    Voting (estimated time, to commence after Council debate concludes.)
Voting will close 15 minutes after it commences

8:30pm    Presentation: Next steps after PCDO endorsement
Ballots will be counted during this presentation.

9:00pm    Endorsement results (estimated time when ballot counting is complete)

Full endorsement requires that a candidate receive a vote equal to 60 percent of the ballots cast by the PCDO members present and voting. Any candidate for local municipal office who receives less than 60 percent but does get a vote of at least 40 percent of the ballots cast has the PCDO’s support to appear in the same column as the candidates endorsed by the Mercer County Democratic Party. The Democratic County Chairperson makes the final decision on column position.