Monday, January 14, 2013

Primary Election Dates Posted

Political wisdom in this mostly Democratic city tells us that the June Primary Election is where local things get settled and the November General Election is just a formality.

This year, the primary filing date falls on April Fools' Day. (Click here for the entire list from the state Division of Elections.) The Democratic Party's choice and Democratic challengers must declare themselves on that day. But Primary Day, June 4 in 2013,  is also when Independents file to be on the November ballot. So once the Democratic field is known, anybody from left field can join the fray. A Republican primary contest is possible, but unlikely, though the city GOP will probably put somebody up to run for the municipal seats.

The Plainfield municipal elections follow a pattern: Ward 1 plus 2&3 at-large, Ward 2 and 1&4 at-large, Ward 3 and citywide at-large, and this year Ward 4 and Mayor. Incumbent Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs  is running for a third term in 2013 and Third Ward Councilman Adrian Mapp is making his second try to defeat her.

Read about the 2005 primary here and the 2009 primary here.

The 2009 official primary vote was 2,017 for Robinson-Briggs, 1,681 for Mapp, 363 for Martin Cox, 152 for Carol Brokaw Boles, 72 for Robert Ferraro and 37 for Tom Turner.

This year will be the second one where Board of Education candidates must file on Primary Day to be on the November ballot. There are always three three-year seats up and there may be others for unexpired terms should incumbents leave office in time for others to meet the filing date.

--Bernice


1 comment:

  1. We will see if the party chair is willing to put his election in jeapordy by putting the albatross around his neck, who is our current mayor. This should be interesting.

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