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Robbinsville calls for election changes By BiLL SaNserViNO
Members of the Red Cross Club are pictured during a recent blood donation event held at Robbinsville High School. At rear are Sahana Prasad (left), Suhani Agarwal and Naiya Patel. In front are Himasri Cheerla, Abinaya Dharanikumar and Shrika Yeddula.
Record amount donated at Red Cross Club blood drive EDiTeD By BiLL SaNserViNO
Robbinsville High School’s Red Cross Club collected 51 units of donated blood from community members in February, one of the largest totals in recent years. “This is the biggest number I’ve seen since becoming the club’s adviser,” said teacher Sue
Kanagawa, who began advising the club in 2017. “It’s amazing to see such community support for this important project.” To put this year’s number in perspective, the club collected 47 units of blood in 2022, 25 units of blood in 2020, and 23 units of blood in 2019. A blood drive was not held in 2021 because of COVID-19.
Each unit of blood can be used by up to three patients, meaning this year’s donations could help as many as 153 individuals, according to the American Red Cross New Jersey Region. Robbinsville’s Red Cross Club is one of the largest student organizations at the high school with See RED CROSS, Page 12
Robbinsville Mayor Dave Fried and the Township Council are calling for major changes in the Mercer County election system. Last month, the council passed a resolution asking the County Executive Brian Hughes and the Mercer County Board of Commissioners to eliminate the positions of superintendent and deputy superintendent of elections. The move comes after the 2022 general election on Nov. 8 saw multiple issues, the worst of which was a county-wide problem with voting machines that resulted in voters having to cast paper ballots. In addition, Robbinsville experienced a situation where ballots were lost, and another in which about 6% of township voters were disenfranchised. Those voters received letters weeks after the election informing them that their votes did not count. The letter, which came from the County Board of Elections said: “Unfortunately, your provisional ballot was not counted for the following reason: Voted by Machine.” The disenfranchised voters apparently signed in at their polling stations with the intention of voting on the machine, but were given a provisional ballot because the machine scanners were not
processing the ballots. The election “was plagued by many issues, including poor communication from the offices of the superintendent and deputy superintendent of elections and malfunctioning voting machines that created a chaotic atmosphere for voters, poll workers and election officials,” states the council resolution. The measure also maintains that, “clear information has not been forthcoming from either the Mercer County Board of Elections or the Mercer County Superintendent of Elections, with each office avoiding accountability and casting blame on the other for the mishaps during and after the 2022 General Election.” According to the resolution, the township council and the mayor are united in calling for the Board of Commissioners to eliminate the superintendent and deputy superintendent positions “to help streamline Mercer County’s election processes and ensure accountability from Mercer County’s election officials.” In addition to the resolution, Council Vice President Mike Todd called for changes during a meeting of the Board of County Commissioners earlier this year. ““Something needs to change,” Todd said. “Training for poll workSee ELECTIONS, Page 14
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