GOP to Pick Freeholder Candidate Monday

It's been three months and 11 days since the first vote was cast in the Republican primary race for Morris County freeholder. By Monday, a candidate should be nominated.

That is when the Morris County Republican Committee will hold a special convention to choose the party's nominee, who will then face Democrat Trushcha Quattrone in November's general election. The

Republican chairman John Sette said the convention will be held at 7 p.m Monday at Zeris Inn, Route 46 in Mountain Lakes. He said commitee members would be notified by email and by a letter mailed to each municipal chairman.

The special convention is required following the decision by Superior Court Assignment Judge Thomas L. Weisenbeck on Tuesday to overturn the narrow primary victory of Montville's William "Hank" Lyon, the political newcomer who—in counts from an election the judge said was tainted by multiple issues—appeared to upset 12-year incumbent Margaret Nordstrom of Washington Township.

The judge set aside Lyon's victory based on two factors: .

The judge amended his decision Wednesday to reflect changes in state election law as of July 1. His original order called for a new GOP candidate to be chosen by Friday.

Sean Connelly, Lyon's attorney, said his client plans to appeal Weisenbeck's decision.

Connelly said Lyon had considered the appeal Tuesday, but agreed to hold off one day before making a decision. Connelly said he wanted to be sure that Lyon could afford the cost of the transcripts, between $7,000 and $10,000.

He said Lyon could accept the outcome of the election, but was upset by the language Weisenbeck used to describe Lyon's role in one of the issues in the case—what the judge refered to as an illegal campaign contribution made by Robert Lyon, the father of the candidate and the campaign's treasurer.

Connelly said that the judge's harsh language made the Lyons feel they could be labelled as criminals.

The judge in his chastised scored Lyon for disregard of the state's election laws that aim to provide transparency, and for trying to pass off the error by saying the rules were too complicated to follow and that he was a first-time candidate.

The judge said, however, "there is no record evidence to suggest that [Lyon] acted with fraudulent intent. If there was proof to that effect, [Lyon] could face criminal charges."

Instead, the judge ruled, there was sufficient evidence to void Lyon's victory, in part because the candidate accepted the campaign contribution and failed to report it to the state's election law commission as required.

Weisenbeck referred the matter to the Election Law Enforcement Commission for review.

Sette said GOP committee members who were elected to the committee in June 2010 or appointed to the committee by Sept. 12 and still live in the district where they were elected will be allowed to vote Monday. Voting will be done on six voting machines, he said.

Nordstrom's attorney, Alan Zakin, said he and his client will be asking the judge to clarify if committee members will be able to vote for just Lyon or Nordstrom, or if another candidate could be chosen.