Challenger loses bid in Monroe primary

BY JESSICA SMITH
Staff Writer

If the polls tell a story, it is one of contentment with the current state of Monroe's township government.

Incumbents Irwin Nalitt and Leslie Koppel-Egierd, who were endorsed by the township's Democratic Party, swept last night's Democratic primary election, beating out challenger Michele Arminio, who ran on the Democrats for Citizen Participation ticket.

"It was a really large margin of victory," Koppel-Egierd said. "I attribute that to the good job we're doing right now in Monroe."

Nalitt received 2,608 votes, with Koppel-Egierd close behind with 2,601 votes. Arminio received 419 votes.

There was a 14.9 percent voter turnout among registered Democrats, excluding absentee ballots.

Arminio, who for years has attended township meetings and participated in discussions with the governing body, was making her first bid for office.

"I'm certainly disappointed we didn't win," Arminio said. "This is a campaign for citizen participation, and we're Democrats looking for a voice, and that's a process. Certainly, I'm not someone who is going away, or someone who just has one issue. Since we're all Democrats, we hope the incumbents will embrace the perspective of their Democratic constituents."

Arminio said she took it as a positive sign that she won in her ward and voting district.

In November's general election, Nalitt and Koppel-Egierd will vie against Republican candidates Carlos Lopez and Karen Scarpa for two four-year at-large seats. Also in the election, Democratic Mayor Richard Pucci will face Republican Tom Nothstein.

A 20-year council veteran, Nalitt said the current governing body has created positive changes for the town. He has long been involved with supporting the town's library and is the council liaison to Monroe's Office on Aging.

Koppel-Egierd has served on the Township Council since September, when she was appointed to fill the unexpired term of longtime Councilman John Riggs. A founding member of the educational organization Kids 1st, she has served as president of the Barclay Brook/Brookside PTA since 2005.

"I was thrilled," Koppel-Egierd said of Tuesday's victory.

Arminio said she has not ruled out the possibility of running again in the future.

"That is an evolutionary process, that remains to be seen," Arminio said. "I haven't discounted it. There is always room for improvement, and there is a grassroots Democratic constituency that would like to see a new perspective being put forward."

An avid environmentalist, Arminio is a champion of resident involvement in government. She said her goal was to give voice to the people of Monroe, and to change the long-standing status quo of the governing body. Pucci and all five Township Council members are Democrats.