TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEMBER LARRIER NOT RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION

Township Committee Member India Larrier says she will not run for re-election this year, but gave no reason for her decision.

Larrier, who first won a seat on the board in 2011, is serving her second three-year term on the board. She first ran with Mayor Vic Deluca, but when the two were up for re-election three years ago he said he would not run with her due to her opposition to same-sex marriage.

Some in the Maplewood Democratic Party have pointed to that anti-gay marriage view as a reason she might have had a tough re-election battle. Deluca has already said he is running for another term.

Her announcement follows this week's request by Maplewood Democratic Chairman Ian Grodman for prospective candidates to submit their names for a possible MDC endorsement. Those candidates are asked to submit their names by Feb. 27, with endorsement interviews set for March.

With Larrier not running, the pool of candidates in the June Democratic primary is likely to swell.