Karcher to quit council if wins Senate seat

MARLBORO — If Township Council President Ellen Karcher’s bid to become a state senator is successful in November, Marlboro may have a new council member by January.

Karcher, a Democrat who is serving as council president in 2003, has committed to resigning her council seat upon being sworn in as a state senator, according to her senate campaign press secretary, James Sverapa IV.

As part of her ethics reform platform, which she has presented in the framework of her campaign, Karcher has said that state legislators should not hold other public positions, Sverapa reported.

According to state law dealing with vacancies on a municipality’s governing body, Marlboro’s Democratic Party would have to present the council with three candidates to replace Karcher within 15 days after her resignation. The council would then select her replacement from among those three individuals and the person selected would be assured of serving until December 2004.

A municipal election would be held in November 2004 to fill the remainder of Karcher’s current term, which will expire in December 2005.

Marlboro Democratic Chairwoman Sherry Hoffer said she has not decided who the party should nominate to fill the council position if Karcher defeats incumbent Republican state Sen. John O. Bennett III in the 12th District race on Nov. 4 and resigns from the council.

— Larry Ramer