General Election Town Council Race To Feature Crawford vs. Ferrara Rematch

The battle over Freeholder Ann Grossi's unexpired seat on the Parsippany Town Council will continue into November's general election. Robert Crawford, the former Board of Education member who fell short in the June 7 Republican primary election against incumbent Vincent Ferrara, announced Monday he will face Ferrara again—this time as a Democrat.

Crawford said in a statement that Democratic Party members offered him their nomination to represent them in the Nov. 8 election and that he accepted.

In the primary election, Ferrara won the Republican nomination for the two-year council seat, capturing 1,657 votes. Crawford received 1,386 votes. Ferrara won the right to Grossi's seat until the 2011 elections last January after a unanimous vote by the council. His was one of three names presented to the body at the time by the Republican Municipal Committee.

In the absence of a Democratic Party challenger for the general election, the seat would have gone to Ferrara automatically. That changes now with the challenger's party switch.

Crawford said the fact that he received 46 percent of the Republican vote shows  "Parsippany residents want an open and independent council committed to operating in the best interests of all Parsippany residents."

"I would like to thank the voters who took time to write my name on the ballot on June 7. By doing so they have insured that all Parsippany residents, whether Independents, Democrats or Republicans, have a choice in the general election this November," Crawford said. "With that choice, all voters will be able to decide who is best qualified to serve the residents of Parsippany. As I have said repeatedly, this election must be about qualifications, not connections." 

Crawford also announced his endorsement of the Democratic Vote for Parsippany ticket.

"Having worked with Tom Wyka in support of bipartisan issues and knowing Annelise Catanzaro and Janice McCarthy, I am confident they will put  their integrity, common sense and energy to work on behalf of all of us who call Parsippany home," Crawford said.

The news may re-energize the feud between Ferrara and Crawford over Ferrara's contention that Crawford, while on the Board of Education, voted publicly against a contract he signed behind closed doors. Crawford maintained that he had done nothing wrong.