Parties Pick Recall Candidates

Democratic and Republican Committees Pick a
Candidate for the Recall Election
Both Parties will advocate voting Yes for the Recall

On July 17th the Democratic Committee met to discuss the special election that will address the recall of Franklin's Third Ward Councilperson Ellen Ritchie. Both the Third Ward Committee and the full Municipal Committee voted without dessent to support the recall of Ellen Ritchie. In other words the Democratic Committee of Franklin Township is advocating that on Election Day citizens vote YES to recall Ms. Ritchie.

In separate votes both the Third Ward and full Committees endorsed Dr. Michael Orsini as their candidate in the election. With Orsini the Democrats wish to retain the seat for the Democratic Party. Ms. Ritchie was elected as Democrat but did not seek her party's endorsement and has indicated that she is running as an Independent.

Orsini is the Shade Tree Commission's Chair, a Planning Board Vice Chair and a member of the Open Space Committee. "I look forward to representing the residents of Franklin's third ward, and indeed all of Franklin. The theme of my campaign will be 'Returning Franklin to Franklin', and my record will show that I have voted according to principles not politics."

The Republicans have also selected their candidate, life long resident Robert Mettler. "The central issue of my campaign will be bringing government back to the people of Franklin." Mettler is a former Mayor, a Planning Board member and Township Historian.

The triggering event of the Recall was the unethical actions by Ms. Ritchie to push through a Jack Morris development that plans to build 660 housing units, a Home Depot and other box stores on Bennetts lane and Rt. 27. Ritchie has admitted to threatening Dr. Orsini's political career if he didn't vote for the project. On the Planning Board both Orsini and Mettler voted against the development. Ritchie voted for it.

TUF's Chip Hoever and Phil Kramer organized the recall with the non-partisan support of 15 Democrats, 14 Republicans and 5 independents. This flies in the face of Ms. Ritchie's repeated claims that this was a Republican conspiracy to take her seat. What's more, now both the Republican and Ms. Ritchie's own Democratic Party will be advocating that she be recalled.

Despite Ritchie's stated concern of the recall resulting in the transferring of her Democratic held office to the Republicans it now appears that Ms. Ritchie's insistence on running as a third part candidate presents the biggest threat to Democratic control. It is more likely that her campaign will siphon votes from Dr. Orsini than from a Republican candidate.

Thus if nothing changes there will be two questions on the ballot. The first is:

Shall Ellen Ritchie be recalled from the Office of Franklin Township Council - Third Ward?
Yes or No.

The second question will be who will replace her. Mettler, Orsini or ironically Ritchie herself. TUF will not endorse a candidate except to say "DO NOT vote for Ritchie". We will of course strongly endorse voting YES for the recall.

Phil Kramer is a Democratic Committee member; Chip Hoever is a former Republican Committee member. Democrats often walked with Republicans to solicit signatures. Most recall committee members didn't know, ask or care about the party of the other participants. If they were helping to make the recall successful then they were on the right side. Shown are Democratic Ward Chair Russ Warner and Republican Municipal Chair Robert Lacorte join forces to collect signature on the petition.

The special election will be held in the Third Ward on September 11th. The date is a function of the recall law and is based on events set in motion in December.

A final note: this article is written by Phil Kramer. As the Democratic Chair of the Third Ward I will be involved with the Orsini campaign. Clearly that exposes me to a biased opinion with regard to Mettler or Orsini. Therefore I will write no more articles on the subject other than to announce pure facts. Both men are friends of mine and I wish them both a good campaign. I will sign anything I do write so that the reader can be on guard. TUF will soon officially open it's site to all three candidates in it's typical candidates forum.