Bridgewater Council Race Gets Underway
By C.M. Gabbett
It’s an election year in Bridgewater, N.J., and despite the heavy Republican lean of the town, Councilman Matthew Moench is not taking any chances. He has been out campaigning on weekends, going door to door, and asking residents individually for their votes this November.
Moench, an associate at Bevan, Mosca and Giuditta, is running for his third term on the township council. He is joined on the ballot by his running mates, Councilwoman Christine Henderson Rose, who was first appointed in 2010 to fill the seat of now-Freeholder Patrick Scaglione, and Mayor Dan Hayes, who was first elected mayor in 2011.
On one such weekend walk, Moench spent a couple of hours in the early afternoon knocking on doors in the northern section of Bridgewater and speaking with his constituents about a wide variety of topics, ranging from roads, to taxes, to the deer population.
While he generally received a warm welcome from most residents, some took the opportunity to express their concerns, which Moench encouraged. Some even offered ideas on how to go about solving problems differently.
Lou Pollak, a long-time Bridgewater resident, suggested a one-time tax assessment to fund road repair.
“The taxes in Bridgewater are quite reasonable,” he said. “I’m not saying raise my taxes, but if it would fix the roads, I would pay more money. There are so many roads that are atrocious.”
“Pave the streets.” he added. “What’s wrong with this town?”
A big focus for Moench, and other local candidates, this election season has been on driving turnout. It is the first time since 1999 that the general assembly holds the top spot on the ballot in every town across the state. A lack of a statewide election has a tendency to hinder voter interest and participation. The turnout for the primary elections in June was the lowest in the last 90 years, based on an Associated Press analysis.
“This is the lowest turnout year in a 12-year cycle,” he told many of the residents with whom he spoke. “So it makes voting even more important.”
This message resonated with at least one voter, who, while stopping short of committing her support to Moench, echoed his sentiment on voter participation.
“My feeling is that we are very fortunate in this country to have the privilege to vote. Everyone should take advantage of that privilege,” said Amy MacMath, a teacher at a Hamilton Primary, an elementary school in Bridgewater.
Moench expressed excitement at the prospect of potentially being elected to a third term.
“It is an honor and a privilege being able to serve as a councilman,” he said. “I enjoy meeting with voters during the campaign season. Knocking on doors, listening to what they have to say.”
Moench and Henderson Rose are opposed by two first-time candidates, Democrats Sandra Rhue and Rebecca Dryl. Hayes is opposed by Nidhi Makhija.
