On May 8, two nonpartisan council elections were decided in Mercer municipalities with major redevelopment issues-Washington and West Windsor townships.

In Washington Township, the election was regarded as a referendum on the current administration with the overwhelming victory of incumbent David Boyne (790 votes), Chris Ciaccio (845 votes), and Timothy McGough (765 votes). All three candidates had been supported by Mayor David Fried, and will now serve a four-year term beginning July 1. The winning slate pledged to continue curbing residential development, particularly in the planned Washington Town Center, in hopes of slowing development that has burdened the area schools with an in-flux of school-aged children and resulted in sky rocketing property taxes.

In West Windsor, where a planned transit village at the Princeton Junction Train Station that includes 1,000 housing units seemed to be the main issue on voters' minds, residents elected the 'Best 4 West Windsor' slate that included incumbents Charles Morgan (1,856 votes) and Will Anklowitz (1,925 votes), and newcomer George Borek (1,607 votes). The slate, which is opposed to many elements of the proposed transit village plan, particularly the 1,000 housing units, won all but three of the voting districts in West Windsor. The victory gives them the numbers to control the five- member council beginning July 1.

Although Hillier Architecture is set to reveal its latest version of the transit village plan at a public meeting with township council, the planning board and mayor on June 4, how the project will move forward remains to be seen with Morgan, Anklowitz, and Borek taking office this summer.