Township Can't Lose in Primary, Furbish Says

In a day characterized by low turnout among voters in the first eight hours of polling, Chatham Township Committee candidate Jeff Furbish remains optimistic.

"It sounds like a good turnout here in in District 2," Furbish said after voting at Long Hill Chapel late Tuesday afternoon. "We'll know soon enough."

Furbish is one of four Republican candidates for two available seats on the committee. He ran jointly with sitting Committee Member Bailey Brower, Jr. No Democrats registered for the race, and independent candidates have until Tuesday to file for the general election in November.

Of the four candidates, Furbish is the only one who mentioned the possibility of facing an independent challenger in the general. "We'll see if any independents register, or if there are enough write-ins from the Democrats for a competition come November," he said.

In the meantime, Furbish said if he wins one of the two available spots on the Republican ticket, "I'll take the summer to get further engaged in open issues before the committee," he said, including the proposed but as yet undrafted small farming ordinance which has generated recent controversy in Chatham Township.

Furbish said of the farming ordinance that he is "in favor of property owner rights, but would need to investigate the matter further before I come down firmly one way or the other."

Furbish also said he plans to "get to know the details of the [municipal] budget."

No matter which two candidates garner the most votes in the primary Tuesday, Furbish said all of them would serve the township well. "I don't think Chatham loses, no matter who the top two are," he said.

Furbish said he plans to await the results at Charlie Brown's in Chatham Township with his campaign manager.