Incumbents get the vote or time to rock the boat

While the races for federal office have glommed much of the spotlight this campaign season, there is no shortage of important choices to be made at the municipal and county levels on Nov. 7. Just ask the various Republican organizations with Middlesex County, who tend to face an uphill battle in these parts each year.

For them, it is generally considered a victory when the GOP can gain a single seat on a governing body. This year, they've got a chance at better in some locales. Democrats on the other hand have a chance at gaining full council control in some locations, including Sayreville.

The past couple of years have been a triumph for the Sayreville Democratic Organization, as voters gave them control over the Borough Council. The party has used the 5-1 council majority to name its own professionals such as borough attorney, and appoint its own people to important bodies such as the redevelopment agency. Republican Mayor Kennedy O'Brien will find himself grappling with a fully Democratic council if Stanley Drwal and Kathy Makowski are voted in, or with two allies if Ron Green and Marion Marks take office.

What do voters have to think about in the Sayreville decision? The National Lead redevelopment project - the borough condemned the 400-acre site under O'Brien, but was dealt a setback when the chosen redeveloper pulled out this fall. Whose fault? Depends whom you listen to. Our feeling is that the politicians at Borough Hall had less to do with this than market conditions and economics.

If voters have been paying attention, there has been an abundance of issues and political spats between the GOP and the Democrats this year. Hopefully voters are informed enough to decide whose side they're on.

This fall also brings us another interesting race for two seats on the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Republicans Andrew Tidd and Geoffrey Champion continue to raise issues, as Tidd did last year with another running mate. They are doing battle with incumbents H. James Polos and John Pulomena, who are running on a record of providing quality county services at a low cost to taxpayers.

The bottom line: Get out and vote on Tuesday. These important decisions are yours to make.