Out of 590 public school districts in New Jersey, elections for Board of Education seats in thirteen municipalities were held today – the remaining vestiges of April elections that have either shifted to November or have appointed school boards.
A slate of Newark school board candidates backed by Mayor Ras Baraka captured all four seats up today, with a lease for a new elementary school developed by one of the mayor’s donors having little impact on the race.
Three-term incumbent Hasani Council headed the Moving Newark Schools Forward slate. It included Mark Comesañas, who runs a nonprofit group founded by Baraka, and Quamid Childs, who works for the Essex County Register of Deeds and Mortgages, Juan Rivera. With more than 87% of the vote counted, Council (3,160), Childs (2,675), and Comesañas (2,674) lead Lisa Gray (1,428), John Farrell (1,404), and Taweed Peters (1,044).
In the race for a one-year unexpired term, Jordy Nivar (1,956), who works in community relations for a local real estate development firm, defeated Latoya Jackson (1,512) and Tammy Holloway (651).
The incumbent, Josephine Garcia, has given up her school board seat to run for the city council in the May 12 non-partisan municipal election.
A pilot program allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in Newark school board elections is floundering after voter registration numbers declined in the second year.
According to Chalkbeat Newark, non-adult voter registration dropped from 1,772 to 1,522.
In 2025, just 3.4% of non-adult voters turned out – a total of less than 70, despite hopes that the new plan would empower youth involvement in politics and boost the paltry turnout rate in spring school board elections. The numbers stalled, apparently for good, a proposed $1 million appropriation to help school districts and municipalities implement youth voting in school board races.
Ashley Caldwell, the daughter of Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell, was the top vote-getter in her bid for re-election to the New Brunswick Board of Education. She received 569 votes, with two other incumbents, Maria Alvarez (546) and Patricia Varela (529) winning re-election against Oscar Garcia-Meza (264). Dale Caldwell served on the New Brunswick school board for 26 years before stepping down in 2023; his daughter, then 19, succeeded him.
In Garfield, incumbents Allan Focarino (506), Adrian Diaz (460), and Alban Gaba (459) defeated Carmine Breonte (458) and Abdelkader Sardena (450). In a race for a one-year unexpired term, Sean Redezio (427) defeated Alea Sanchez (300).
In a race for three school board seats in Lodi, Nancy Cardone (442), Sharon Salvacion (408), and Michael Apicelli (396) defeated incumbent Alfonso Matsrofilipo, Jr. (286), Joseph Ramos (264), Katie Lugo-Lisath (252), Kyle Crouchelli (199), Abigail Rojas (183), and Omar Lopez (169). Appointed school trustee William Thomas won a two-year unexpired term with 317 votes, defeating Laura Castellano (236) and Angie Lopez (164). Matsrofilipo’s late father had been Lodi Council President.
Three incumbents were re-elected to the Passaic City Board of Education: Janelle Hall (1,201), Arthur Soto (1,182), and Leslie Zuniga (1,147), defeating Parker Brown (396), Juan Arroyo (265), and Marko Kopic (231).
Candidates for school board seats in Cliffside Park and Fairview in Bergen County, Irvington in Essex County, North Bergen, Weehawken, and West New York in Hudson County, Totowa in Passaic County, and Westfield in Union County were unopposed.
Westfield returned to April school board elections in 2023.
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