New Brunswick, NJ — Today, more than 175 members of the Middlesex County Democratic Organization (MCDO), registered Democrats in the County and residents from across the state sent a letter to MCDO Chairman Kevin McCabe urging him to forego his plan to cancel the 2021 primary election and retroactively extend terms of office for all committee members until 2023.  The MCDO is planning to hold a vote on McCabe’s proposal tonight, on the heels of yesterday’s federal court ruling that restored a similarly cancelled election in New York state.

“We are heartened by the federal court’s affirmation that democracy not give way to autocracy, even in these difficult times,” said Catherine Hunt, Monroe Township MCDO member. “It is absurd and dangerous to cancel an election not even scheduled until next year, when we are clearly able to hold elections this year. This is a power grab intended to prevent challengers from running for office. No one thinks that sitting elected officials should extend their own term of office, except the people extending their own terms.”

The letter, sent to McCabe and the MCDO Parliamentarian, David Bander who has been managing the process reads:

We the undersigned residents and voters call for you to reject the recommendations of the Middlesex County Democratic Organization’s Constitution and Bylaws Committee and remove them from consideration.  These recommendations would deprive hundreds of thousands of Middlesex County voters from exercising their right to select the party’s local representatives, needlessly extending their terms retroactively.

“Democracy is essential and we cannot allow elections to become another casualty of the COVID-19 crisis.  The proposal is even more troubling because it would permanently double the length of committee members terms, suppressing our voting rights for years or decades to come.  We are a long way away from the scheduled elections in June 2021 and it is extremely premature to cancel them at this point, with the limited information we have.

“There is no right time to move forward with an anti-democratic plan like this, but to do so when so many families are struggling to survive amid this public health crisis would be grotesque and abusive.  We need leaders in the Democratic Party to stand up for democracy and fight for our rights to elect our representatives in politics and government.  Extending terms and cancelling elections is not what we are about.  Please defend democracy and take a stand and protect the rights of party members to run for and vote for county committee in 2021.

“We insist you commit to the following:

·        NO RETROACTIVE EXTENSIONS OF TERMS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS

·        NO PREMATURE DELAY OF THE 2021 ELECTIONS AT THIS TIME

·        NO RUSHED VOTES DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

“Again, we ask that you please reject the recommendations out of respect for our democracy and those who are battling this virus.  These are changes that would require a more robust discussion than is possible under these circumstances and we would kindly request that you put the brakes on these recommendations.”

The full letter and signatories are attached and available here.