September's Election Dates

Consulting Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi's "2009 Election Dates" brochure, one sees some interesting items for September.

Friday is the last day for an independent candidate to withdraw from the General Election ballot and Sept. 10 is the last day to fill a vacancy for an independent candidate. There is one independent candidate for mayor, Deborah Dowe.

Last year, Dowe ran as a Republican for the Citywide at-large City Council seat, but dropped out in September. The Republican Municipal Committee named no replacement by a Sept. 17 deadline, leaving Democratic primary winner Annie McWilliams unopposed in the 2008 General Election.

For 2009, Sept. 14 is the last day for a candidate nominated at the Primary Election to withdraw from the General Election. Primary winners were incumbent Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs and Fourth Ward candidate Bridget Rivers. If either withdraws, the Regular Democratic Organization will have until Sept. 18 to fill the vacancy.

Robinson-Briggs won out over five challengers in the June primary and as of now, faces Dowe and Republican James Pivnichny in the General Election. Click here to see the primary results.

Rivers, currently president of the Plainfield Board of Education, beat the Democratic Party's choice, Vera Greaves, by six votes. Although she opposed the party, by dint of winning Rivers became the Regular Democratic Organization's nominee for the Nov. 3 General Election. If she withdraws, the party gets to name her replacement.

Also according to the brochure, Oct. 13 will be the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 General Election.

--Bernice Paglia