Booth, Harris Kickoff Campaign For Bernards Township Committee

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Sally Booth and Joan Harris, Democratic candidates for Bernards Township Committee, kicked off their campaign on April 22 at the Allen Street gazebo in downtown Basking Ridge.

Booth and Harris spoke in front of a crowd of nearly 70 people about their vision for the future of Basking Ridge.

The Somerset County Democratic Committee and the Bernards Township Democratic Committee joined Booth and Harris that day for support. Several other candidates seeking state and county office were on hand as well, including Lacey Rzeszowski, Shanel Robinson and Steve Peter, running for State Assembly, Somerset County Freeholder and Somerset County Clerk.

Sydney Vollmar, a senior at Ridge High School, kicked off the morning singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” in front of the gazebo.

Candidate Sally Booth, a history teacher, spoke about how a healthy democracy requires different perspectives and voices.

“It is fitting that we launch our campaign and re-energize the Democratic Party in town on Earth Day — at a time when our 600-year-old oak tree is coming down, but right across the street is the baby oak planted at the back of the church," Booth said. “This is our opportunity to bring transparency to local government and, most of all, this is our time to change the Township Committee to a body that represents and respects all of its constituents.”

“In community, we must work together to face the challenges before us," Harris said. "The programs I participated in, addressing adolescent drug addiction, were successful because they pierced through the mistaken belief that addiction only happens to 'them,' not 'us.' Our community is learning to view addiction as a problem 'we' face together. I want to prove that government, made up of different parties and perspectives, functions best in community honoring our differences and finding our common ground."

Booth and Harris are running unopposed in the June 6 Democratic primary.

(Photos credit: Betsy Bacot-Aigner)

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.