Civic Participation: Everything You Need to Vote Informed!

Primary election day, June 2, 2026, is fast approaching. To help you make the most of this civic opportunity, Princeton Perspectives is sharing everything you need to take action at the polls. With a better understanding of who can vote, where to vote and who the candidates are on the ballot… you can make informed decisions to impact your future!

WHO CAN VOTE?

New in 2026! If you are 17 years old and already registered to vote, you can vote in this year’s primary election – if you will be turning 18 on or before the general election on November 3, 2026.

WHERE AND WHEN CAN YOU VOTE?

There are multiple days and ways that all registered voters can take part (the deadline to register has passed):

Early Voting: May 26-May 31, 2026, 10am-8pm Tuesday through Saturday and 10am-6pm Sunday.

Vote-by-Mail: Applications can be completed online here. Additionally, you can apply in person by June 1, 2026 @ 3pm at the County Clerk’s Office 209 S. Broad Street, Trenton or apply by mail with applications due to the clerk by May 26. Completed ballots must be placed in a local Vote-by-Mail drop box or returned to the Board of Elections at 930 Spruce Street, Trenton by June 2^nd at 8pm. Ballots could also be sent by U.S. Mail, postmarked by June 2.  You must be registered as a Democrat or Republican by May 26 to be able to receive a Vote-by-Mail ballot.

Election Day: June 2, 2026, from 6a.m.-8p.m. There are seven voting locations in Princeton. You can click here to find your assigned polling site.

WHO CAN YOU VOTE FOR?

Be reminded to review the sample ballot that arrives in the mail, as candidates are no longer listed in a party line but rather in a block style by the office sought. In this article, we will be providing background and information about the candidates running in local and county elections. You can also click on their name to go to their websites and learn even more! For the national candidates, please click and read our companion article Take Time to Know Your National Candidates to Cast an Educated Vote. You have the opportunity to take action and vote for the candidate that most represents your interests.

Princeton Council

Why are five local residents pursuing their civic duties by running for Council seats, and how can they entice you to come out to vote for them? We asked, and they answered, in the hottest local race for Princeton Council in years. There has not been a contest on the local Democratic ticket since 2020 and this year there are four candidates vying for two spots. There is also one Republican running. He will have no contest in the primary but will be the first Republican to run for Princeton Council since 2018.

David Cohen (D) is running for his fourth term on Council. He is the lone incumbent in the race, hoping to retain his seat. An architect by training, Cohen believes his expertise could assist in planning and implementation of the new Public Works facility, expansion of the firehouse and adaptive reuse of Westminster Campus buildings. He has spent time working to improve stormwater utility through the Flood and Stormwater Commission and the Council Finance Committee. Similarly, he hopes to see the Master Plan and Zoning harmonization come to fruition in order to realize their full vision.

“The estimated time frame for completion is 2-3 years. With my institutional knowledge and subject matter expertise in these areas, I think it is important that I be involved throughout,” Cohen says. “Another multi-year effort that is coming to a head is implementation of our Stormwater Utility. We have been studying the topic for a couple of years but there are a couple years still to go to finalize the fiscal plan and then roll it out.”

Cohen has long worked towards greater roadway safety and has focused recent efforts on housing for many that are priced out of living here. He believes there are untapped opportunities that can be pursued with more time in office.

“This year your vote will really make a difference because any of us could win. The result is not a foregone conclusion and depending on what issues are most important to you, your vote could determine whether your priorities are front and center for the next Council or take a back seat for the foreseeable future,” he adds.

Jon Durbin (D) has long been active in local politics, working behind the scenes as municipal chair of the Princeton Township Democrats, president of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO), and on the Executive Board of the Mercer County Democratic Committee. Now he wants to serve on Council to help lead efforts including building housing that preserves the character of Princeton through smarter zoning. A longtime publishing executive, Durbin hopes to also use his expertise to steward Princeton forward with more financial discipline and foresight.

“I manage complex, multi-million-dollar projects that require careful planning, coordination, and accountability. That work has given me the tools to make tough decisions, balance competing priorities, and plan for the long term—exactly what we need in local government right now,” Durbin explains.

A past President of Princeton Little League, he spent years working in the community and hopes those relationships and this year’s competitive race, can help bring voters out to the primary.

“My message to voters is straightforward: this is your opportunity to shape the future of Princeton. Take the time to learn about the candidates, think about the kind of leadership you want to shape our community, and make your voice heard. Local government has a direct impact on our daily lives—from taxes to development to public services. Voting isn’t just a civic duty; it’s how we decide, together, who we want to be our leaders and the kind of community we want to be,” shares Durbin.

Leanna Jahnke (D) is currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Princeton Nursery School, in her 17^th year working as an educator and leader of equitable education initiatives. While speaking up at Princeton Board of Education meetings and serving as Chair of Princeton’s Committee on Affordable Housing, Racial, Economic, Social Equity and Services, she aims to be a voice for inclusion, empathy, and empowerment.

“My career has been defined by leading with a ‘listening-first’ approach to ensure community resources actually meet the needs of those they serve. Growing up in a multicultural family with limited financial means gives me a perspective that may not be reflected on Council,” Jahnke states.

She hopes the choice of four different Democrats on the ticket will empower voters to feel their actions at the polls can lead to change.

“We have a competitive race where community members actually have a say in who represents them. My message to voters is simple: This year, your vote is your voice in deciding our town’s direction. I am running to ensure that young families, working professionals and underrepresented voices are at the center of the conversation,” tells Jahnke.

Marina Rubina (D) came to the United States at age 16 and says the American Dream gave her opportunities and possibilities she never could have had. Today, as a podcaster and architect with her own local firm, she wants to work to ensure it is available to others.

“As a town, we are embarking on rewriting our entire zoning code and starting huge projects such as planning how to use the Westminster site,” Rubina says. “As a council member, I would be required to suspend my professional work in Princeton to avoid conflicts of interest and focus my practice elsewhere. I am willing to do that at this critical moment. We have incredible community leaders running for office this term, but I am the only one who speaks the language of land use and can bring real expertise and firsthand knowledge of how these rules work and fail right here in Princeton.”

Rubina feels that current regulations and barriers to living or owning a business in Princeton must be addressed now for our future. She hopes that her expertise and efforts to put people first and “help Princeton actually live its version of the American Dream” will bring residents out to vote.

“In a time of exclusion and division, we can make Princeton a place of belonging, whether in our public spaces, the local businesses we love and support, or the starter homes and age-in-place homes we can own. If we can achieve this here, we can be an example to other towns in New Jersey and beyond. I hope this can inspire people to show up on June 2nd and vote,” Rubina shares.

Antonio Merolli (R) is running uncontested as the only Republican in the June Primary. Though, as Merolli describes, he is “not running a campaign against the Democratic Party. At the same time (to rephrase a quote attributed to Einstein) ‘you cannot solve a problem with the same party that created it.’”

A decades-long university orthopedic surgeon, Merolli spent most of his years at the Catholic University Medical School in Rome, Italy before finishing out his career at the New Jersey Center for Biomaterials at Rutgers University.

“One day I visited Princeton. It was a Thursday afternoon, and I attended an organ concert at the Princeton University Chapel. The famous organist and professor Eric Plutz was playing the Little fugue in G from J.S. Bach. I was astonished. I had never experienced this combination of music and architecture outside Europe. I moved to Princeton at the first opportunity,” he recalls.

It was through music, as a member of the Westminster Community Orchestra, that he first learned of the potential (foreign) purchase of the Westminster Campus and the municipal desires to obtain it. He spoke out to Council about his concerns yet did not feel heard.

“I started to observe how the administration was working. Many closed-door decisions; many ascensions due to conflict of interest; many “ad personam” expert consulting (“ad personam” means that they sort out a specific person for a job; no tender). I come from Europe; I come from a part of the world where the big pile of public money (resulting from heavy taxation) often attracts the appetite of professional politicians, not totally versed in pursuing the best interest for the citizens,” Merolli explains. “In my activity as a university researcher I was involved in the administration of several projects, large (multinational) and small. For those who are familiar: you ask for $10 and you receive $5. Then you have to figure out how to do the $10 work with $5. No overspending; no bail-out; no bonds.”

A naturalized U.S. citizen, Merolli hopes to advocate for running a budget that does not require new taxes every year, drop the practice of issuing bonds, promote the use of lay language so all citizens can understand what council is doing, bring respect and tolerance back into Princeton and provide more police funding to support existing laws.

Board of County Commissioners

 The race is also on in the Democratic primary for Mercer County Commissioner for the first time in 15 years. Lucylle Walter and John Cimino are vying to keep their seats, which the pair have won in uncontested primaries since 2011 (back when it was called a Mercer County Freeholder position). Newcomer Nakia White Barr hopes to unseat one of them. There are also two Republican candidates running, with two seats open they have an uncontested primary.

Nakia White Barr (D) is hoping to become the first Black woman to serve on the Board of County Commissioners since Shirley Turner left in 1986. A Princeton resident, raised in Trenton, she has also lived in Ewing and Hamilton.

“I’ve lived in a diverse range of communities and would bring that perspective to the role, taking a multi-municipal approach to governance – which is very important because there are 12 municipalities in Mercer County but only 7 seats on the Board of County Commissioners. My legal and governance background also leaves me well equipped to handle the fundamental responsibilities of the Board and help improve the transparency, oversight, accountability of County government,” White Barr explains. “In addition, there are currently no Commissioners from Princeton, despite the large amount we pay in taxes to the County.”

Currently a real estate attorney for the City of Trenton, White Barr left the capital city for college in Maryland in 1997 and then went to Harvard Law School. She returned to the city’s law department in 2007, then worked in academia at Michigan State University and Princeton University before coming back to Trenton this year.

“I left academia in the fall to pursue a return to government service, a path I was on before transitioning to higher education after starting a family. I’ve always been passionate about local government in particular because of the more direct and immediate impact you can have on issues affecting our everyday lives,” she adds.

John Cimino (D) beat incumbent Tony Mack to first become a Mercer County Freeholder in 2008. He hopes to continue in his sixth term as he seeks to help the county tackle issues including economic stability, health care, infrastructure, government transparency and immigration.

“I’m running to bring steady, accountable leadership—listening to residents, collaborating with partners, and measuring success by outcomes. Most of all, I’m running to give back to a County that has given my family so much, and to earn the public’s trust through hard work and results,” Cimino explains.

As Chief Client Officer for an engineering firm, he has learned to evaluate projects and make smart investments. A champion of consolidation of services, Cimino believes there is more to be done to ensure fiscal responsibility. He wants to expand mass transit options, secure funding for seniors and working families, bring more jobs to our region and protect more open space. Through his many community roles, including as President of Nottingham Little League and as coach for his children’s basketball and baseball teams, he says he’s learned what is important in this role.

“Coaching is one of the highest honors of my life because it’s about more than the game: teaching sportsmanship, camaraderie, and teamwork, and helping young people build confidence and character. That same mindset of show up, do the work, treat people with respect, and put the team first – is how I serve as Commissioner,” Cimino adds.

Lucylle Walter (D) has held the role since 1998 and says her experience working with towns, non-profits, and businesses and understanding the history behind every opportunity and issue will help her move Mercer forward.

“I was proud to support the Safe Streets ordinance that has led to safer walkways and bike paths throughout Mercer. I am proud of the trail work happening across the county and our nonprofit partners working in this area. My zero-net-tree loss policy is one I am working to include in Mercer’s master plan updates. I participated in recent cross-acceptance hearings because I believe collaborative thinking leads to the best projects,” Walter details.

Whether it is her partnerships that help develop funding for necessary projects like senior centers, forward-thinking on participation with ICE, seeing work continue at the county airport, and more, Walter wants to continue to serve her county.

“I have participated in NJ Transit hearings on various issues, testified for verifiable paper trails for elections, monitor DVRPC decisions and DRBC decisions as they relate to water release from upstate reservoirs and drought conditions, and many other semi-autonomous, federal and state agencies,” Walter shares. “I attend Board of Elections meetings and serve on the Board of Social Service. These are just a few of the many agencies I regularly contact. It is my responsibility as a Commissioner to ensure their decisions benefit the people I represent.”

Shaolin Brown (R) is running uncontested on the Republican ticket. A community advocate and small business owner, she has a background in Criminal Justice. Brown spent years as a community advocate, organizing town halls, supporting small business and childcare providers and assisting law firms and nonprofits. She ran unsuccessfully for County Clerk against Paula Sollami Covello last year.

Donald Ober (R) has spent his life in Mercer County, originally from Hamilton. He is a local musician and piano tuner. His business, Don’s Piano, served the county for over 48 years. Ober hopes to now serve the community in a different way, as County Commissioner.