The banner headline in your July 24 issue (“Three Republicans Vie for Council Seats”) distorts a fundamental fact of West Windsor politics. As stipulated by township code, our mayoral and council elections are non-partisan. Candidates for election do not run as Republicans, Democrats, or Independents but essentially as neighbors with differing credentials and viewpoints but with the common goal of maintaining and, hopefully, improving the well-being of West Windsor residents. The issues that define parties at the national level simply do not apply at the local level. We are concerned with land development and attracting ratables — not with national defense or states’ rights. To assign West Windsor candidates to national parties is misleading and unhelpful.
In future issues I hope that your publication will focus on the candidates running this fall as individuals or teams rather than as Republicans or Democrats. They are, after all, your neighbors and they all want the best for West Windsor.
Paul Murphy
West Windsor
