Princeton Democratic Municipal Committee

PCDO Encouraging Interested Democrats To Make Run for Open Seats on Council

To the Editor:

In 2013, year one of the new consolidated Princeton, two seats on the Princeton Council will be up for election. As the president of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO) and as the chair of the Princeton Democratic Municipal Committee (PDMC), we are writing to encourage all genuinely interested Democrats to step forward as candidates for these seats. We want to briefly outline the endorsement process for the community, but potential candidates should contact us to learn more about the endorsement and primary election process, and all candidates must contact us by March 3 to be considered for endorsement. We will have an open reception this coming Sunday, February 24, from 2 to 4 p.m. at 210 Moore Street. If you are interested in running this year or in the future, please come and ask questions and learn more.

The endorsement process for Princeton Democrats will involve two steps, as it did last year. First, the PCDO will hold its annual endorsement meeting for local candidates on Sunday, March 17 beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Suzanne Patterson Center (behind the former Borough Hall). This meeting is a week earlier than usual to avoid conflicts with the public school break and Passover. After debate and discussion, PCDO members will vote by secret ballot to endorse Democratic candidates for two seats on the Council. The PCDO endorsement is an important step for Democrats who wish to compete for the nomination for these offices.

Second, the Princeton Democratic Municipal Committee will hold its endorsement meeting the following evening on March 18, where the committee will receive the results of the PCDO endorsement vote. Candidates will each appear for a discussion with the Democratic Committee members, and then the committee will vote to endorse two candidates. The results of this two-step endorsement process will decide which candidates will receive the Democratic Party endorsements for the June primary. Candidates will have until April 1 to file nominating petitions in order to actually appear on the primary ballot. The Democrats selected in the June Primary will then appear on the November ballot.

Candidates seeking the PCDO endorsement must notify PCDO President Jon Durbin by March 3 (14 days prior to the meeting) by email at jonwdurbin@gmail.com or at (609) 924-2438. Similarly, Princeton Democrats should join the PCDO or renew their membership by March 3 to be eligible to vote at the March 17 meeting (dues are annual per calendar year, $15 suggested and $5 minimum). Membership information and a downloadable form are available at www.princetondems.org/join. To see the Democratic Committee members for your voting district, visit municipal-committee.princetondems.org/members.

Jon Durbin

Mt. Lucas Road, President, PCDO

Peter Wolanin

Spruce Street, Chair, PDMC

Newly Elected Democratic Committee Makes History With Its First Meeting

With consolidation of the two Princetons looming, the Princeton Democratic Municipal Committee held a reorganization meeting last week. The gathering, at which officers were elected and bylaws adopted, was the first since the Princeton Borough Democratic Municipal Committee and the Princeton Township Democratic Municipal Committee were combined into one new entity.

“It’s historic,” said Peter Wolanin, the new Municipal Chair and the former chair of the Borough committee, this week. “The recent primary was effectively our first consolidated Princeton election. So here is really concrete evidence that consolidation is happening.”

The committee met on June 11. It consists of members of the Mercer County Democratic Committee who were elected in Princeton’s new consolidated voting districts on the primary ballot. Each voting district has one male and one female committee seat. The committee recruits and supports Democratic candidates, makes endorsements in the primary, and is the official Democratic Party organization in Princeton.

The committee is separate from the Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO), which is a club that any registered Democrat can join. “The average person doesn’t always understand what the roles of the two are,” said Mr. Wolanin. “Just for historical reference, at one point in Princeton’s history there were two Democratic clubs. The club doesn’t have any exclusive rights, it is just a social club. It is the municipal and county committee that have a state mandated role.”

At the reorganization meeting, 22 committee members were present. In addition to electing officers and adopting bylaws, the committee authorized the officers to conduct business including setting up a new political party committee under the regulations of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. Jon Durbin, who chaired the Township Democratic Municipal Committee since 2010, was elected first vice-chair of the new body. Doreen Blanc-Rockstrom was elected second vice-chair.

“It’s going to be a busy year,” Mr. Wolanin said. “We have our Democratic candidates for the six council seats and for mayor, so those are important to us. We also have the race in the 16th district, which is not so much on people’s radar. A lot of people don’t realize that in Princeton we are represented by three Republicans in the state legislature. So this is a good chance to win some of those seats. And the presidential election already seems like it’s going to be quite a fight.”