Two incumbent Democrats held on to their seats on the Princeton Borough Council in yesterday's election, defeating Green Party candidates who garnered a larger share of the vote than many expected.
Councilman David Goldfarb and Councilwoman Mildred Trotman were reelected to the two open seats on the six-member Borough Council.
Trotman received 1,588 votes, or 38 percent of all votes cast in the Borough. Trotman received 1,516 votes, or 36 percent. Green Party candidates Steven Syrek and Scott Salus received 578 and 513 votes, respectively, for 13 and 12 percent.
No Republican candidates registered for the campaign, leaving the Democratic candidates as the only major-party representatives in the race.
"We could have prevailed even with Republicans [in the race], but there was less stress involved," Goldfarb said. "I liked this a lot better."
However, Goldfarb said the strong support for the Green Party showed that "we haven't made everyone happy."
Downtown development and the proposed alcohol ordinance have been controversial and divisive issues, he said.
Borough mayor Marvin Reed attributed some of the Greens' support to the lack of a Republican candidate. Some voters would rather vote for a third party than a Democrat, he said.
But Syrek said the strong support reflected frustration with the Democratic domination of local politics.
"Because they're the only option they're not held accountable," he said.
Syrek's campaign focused on distributing fliers and listening to residents' concerns. He opposes the downtown parking garage project and the proposed alcohol ordinance, he said.
The solution to preventing problems with underage drinking is to provide resources for students with problems, Syrek said. "Deal with and accommodate, not criminalize, [the problem]," he said.
"The alcohol ordinance would have been a useful tool, but it is not a solution," Goldfarb said. The real solution is to engage the eating clubs and the University to deal with underage drinking, he said.
The other issue relating to the University on Goldfarb's agenda is whether the Borough is adequately compensated for the services that the University requires. Examples of these services include Borough Police investigating and prosecuting crimes at the University, he said.
Student voter turnout was higher than normal, Reed said. The Borough's first precinct, populated almost entirely by undergraduate students, reported 227 voters.
Support for the Green Party candidates was higher in this district.
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