Acting Union County Democratic Committee Chair Colleen Mahr today called for the use of voting machines at the February 21st county committee meeting that will determine the next Chair of the UCDC.

The February 21st meeting, which will begin at 7:00 and take place at the Grand Centurion in Clark.

Mahr chairs the County Committee and has served as the elected Vice-Chair and running mate of Chairman Jerry Green for the past five years, up until Green’s retirement from the position for health reasons. She’s running for full capacity of the chairmanship against Hillside Democratic Committee Chairman Anthony Salters and state Senator Nick Scutari (D-22). Scutari this weekend penned a letter to committee members asserting his preference for an open ballot process, on the heels of Salters expressing his misgivings about an open process because of the possibility of voter intimidation.

Mahr today sided with Salters.

“In the past week we have heard from both Anthony Salters and Nick Scutari on the Union County Democratic Committee voting process for our February 21st’s meeting,” said Mahr.  “Unfortunately, this election has had its share of negativity and unfounded accusations and the increased stakes surrounding the vote to determine our Democratic Committee’s next Chair have created an undeniable tension for many of our County Committee members.  Like Anthony, I have also heard from a number of our members concerned about a fear of potential retribution as a result of removing anonymity from the vote for Chair.

“The core principles of the UCDC are rooted in democracy and there is simply no reason why people should be denied the anonymity of a voting booth as they are in any other Election Day scenario,” she added. “We are voting for the next Chair of the Union County Democratic Committee in the United States of America, not the next leader of a totalitarian dictatorship.  Senator Scutari has stated that he ‘fully supports a review of our by-laws’ as it pertains to this matter so I’m asking him to join Anthony Salters and myself in calling for voting machines on February 21st to ensure a fair and deliberative process, free of any potential for voter intimidation.”