In a joint statement, Mayor Bob Conley of Brittin Street, Council member Bob Landrigan of Kings Road, and Council member John Forte of Academy Road urge all Madison Democrats to vote in the June 6 primary election. The mayor’s position and two seats on the council are on the ballot for the primary and with the MDC endorsement, Mr. Conley, Mr. Landrigan, and Mr. Forte will appear on the Morris County Democratic Committee, Inc. line.
“While the primary for Democrats is uncontested, we firmly believe that every voter should participate in every election to show their support for candidates who align with their priorities and values and to making regular voting a habit,” the candidates stated. “We believe that who you vote for at the municipal level matters to ensure the high quality of life Madison residents have come to expect. We ask that voters look at our records of service, our experience, and our ideas to move Madison forward and come out and vote for us on June 6.”
Melissa Honohan will join the nominated candidates for municipal office on the ballot for the November General election, where she will appear following her recent nomination by the MDC to run for the final year of Deb Coen’s unexpired term. Candidate Forte was recently selected by the council to fill Coen’s seat between May 22 and November 8.
Besides municipal elections, 2023 features races in the State Legislature and at the county level. With the recent redistricting, Madison has been moved to the 25th legislative district, which is currently represented by Republicans in both the Senate and Assembly. Seeking to replace them in Trenton are Christine Clarke, who is running for the Senate seat and Dr. Jonathan Torres and Diane Salvatore who want to represent the 25th District voters in the Assembly. Clarke, Torres, and Salvatore have been endorsed by the MCDC as have Jonathan Sackett of Rockaway Township, who is running for the Morris County Commission and Caroline O’Brien of Montville who is running for Morris County Clerk.
“Without a high-profile race on the ballot this year, people might decide to skip voting, but every election matters and this one is no different,” stated the candidates.
Conley continued, “What we are able to accomplish at the municipal level to combat the effects of climate change, to face economic conditions that make controlling taxes while keep service levels high a challenge, to preserve our historic buildings and open spaces, only happen when voters are engaged and vote for candidates who have their support.”
Voters who have not requested a mail-in ballot for the primary must vote in-person either at their assigned polling location on Election Day or at the early voting location in the Court Room at the Hartley Dodge Memorial at 50 Kings Road in Madison June 2-3 from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and June 4 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
By state law, only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary. Unaffiliated registered voters can vote in the primary by requesting a Political Party Affiliation Declaration Form from the poll workers, which they will then need to complete before they vote.
Bob Conley is seeking his fourth term as mayor to continue to improve on his impressive record of accomplishments. Through his involvement with the League of Municipalities and the NJ Conference of Mayors, Conley has shown leadership and positioned Madison as the gold standard for a well-run town.
Bob Landrigan is completing his third three-year term on the Madison Borough Council — one as an elected Republican and two as a Democrat. In addition to his years on the council, Bob Landrigan has an outstanding record of local volunteerism. He is in his 26th year as a volunteer for Madison Volunteer Ambulance Corps, was the Coordinator of the Madison Office of Emergency Management through Hurricane Irene, the October Snowstorm and Hurricane Sandy, and has served as an Auxiliary Police Officer. He is also a past president of the Madison Board of Health and a member of the Downtown Development Commission (DDC).
Landrigan’s running mate, John Forte, is a fifth-generation resident of Madison and has served on the Madison Downtown Development Commission, and the Madison Historic Preservation Commission for 19 years and the Madison Planning Board for 15 years, where he served as Vice Chairman. Mr. Forte has been a trustee of the Hartley Dodge Foundation since 2020, where he serves on the Finance Committee and as Chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee.
Their November running mate, Melissa Honohan, currently serves on the Madison Planning Board and is Chairperson of the Madison Open Space, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.
The candidates concluded: “We feel that our combined decades of volunteering and service to the Madison community uniquely positions us to tackle the challenges and opportunities we face, including bringing people together to preserve the Drew Forest, balancing our budget with fiscally sound decisions, and listening to all voices in the community to continue to make Madison the most desirable place to live, raise a family, and own a business.”