Paraguayan Election Could be Held in Bernardsville Train Station

The Bernardsville train station could become one of the voting locations for a historic election on Sunday, April 21 — the first time the nation of Paraguay is allowing its citizens living in the U.S. and some other countries to cast a vote for a new Paraguayan president.

But first, the consulate serving this area must get the paperwork in order with borough officials.

Bernardsville resident Benigno Ruiz-Diaz, accompanied by some other local representatives for two of the major presidential candidates in Paraguay, attended Monday's Bernardsville Borough Council meeting with a request to use part of the train station in an election that would be conducted from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Ruiz-Diaz initially had filed that request earlier in April.

The Bernardsville Council on Monday night gave approval for that election to be held — but only if a list of conditions are met by the time borough hall closes at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Mayor Lee Honecker said council members had raised a number of objections during a closed session, which officials said was to discuss security for the election.

Councilman Michael dePoortere said that the borough still is lacking such basics as information and insurance from the Paraguayan consulate. He added that most residents are not aware that the election even is proposed. DePoortere cast the one no in the council's 5 to 1 vote to approve.

In presenting the council's decision, Honecker also noted, "It's our opinion that you were left to hang out to dry by your consulate," whom he said now needs to "get on the ball."

The conditions which the Paraguayan consulate and election organizers must meet to be allowed to hold the election include having security arrangements approved by Bernardsville Police Chief Kevin Valentine; providing a certificate of insurance; assurances that the election would be conducted in a peaceful manner with no picnics, celebrations or music near the polling area; and proper staffing, with expenses to be picked up by those running the election.

Borough Attorney John Pidgeon said he would forward the list of requirements to the consulate the first thing on Tuesday morning.

While the council was in closed session to discuss the proposal, Helen Britez of Bernardsville said about 400 people from the area likely would be eligible to vote in Sunday's Paraguayan election. She said those who could vote are Paraguayan citizens living in New Jersey who previously had registered to vote with a Paraguayan representative.

Attending Monday's meeting were Crispin Britez of Bernardsville, Helen's husband, who said that he is supporting the candidate for partido Liberal, Efrain Alegre, and Eduardo Villagra of New Vernon in Harding Township, who said he supports Horacio Cartes, candidate for the more conservative partido Colorado.

"We are going to make a difference for our country because this has never happened before," Villagra said of the new change in voting laws which he said will allow Paraguayan citizens living in the U.S., Argentina and Spain for the first time to cast their ballots outside of the Paraguay.

The plan is to hold the election in a section that was formerly occupied by a bank in the New Jersey Transit train station off Route 202, Helen Britez said.

She had told borough council members that holding the election in Bernardsville would mean much to Paraguayan residents living in the borough. Both Ruiz-Diaz and Crispin Britez said they had lived in Bernardsville for decades.