ELEC fines four local candidates, reprimands two, for late campaign finance reports

The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission’s latest enforcement actions amount to a series of small-ball investigations: four municipal candidates paid relatively small fines and two others were reprimanded.

Joseph Wojtecki, a Democrat who has served as a Hawthorne First Ward councilman since 1999, was fined $475 after being 540 days late in filing a statement attesting that he would spend less than $5,800 with no donations of more than $200 in the general election.  He had filed a similar report for the primary on time.

Wojtecki defeated Republican Hassan Fahmy by 47 votes, 464–417.  He has paid the fine.

Nelson Luzzetti, who ran unopposed for a three-year term on the Pohatcong Township Council in 2024, was fined $475 for filing his sworn statement 482 days late. ELEC said Luzzetti acknowledged that less than $5,800 was spent on his successful campaign, all in contributions of less than $200.   He has also paid his fine.

Another $475 fine went to Richard Rigoglioso, who won re-election to the Garfield City Council in 2024.

Rigoglioso filed his 29-day and 11-day pre-election reports and his 20-day post-election report on December 30, 2025.  The three reports were 449, 431, and 400 days late, respectively. Rigoglioso’s penalty has been paid.

Annmarie Gibbs, the only losing candidate among the six, was fined $275 after filing her sworn statement 486 days late. Gibbs lost her 2024 bid for an at-large Somers Point council seat to Republican Kirk Gerety, 2,846–2,005.

ELEC noted that Gibbs reported spending no money on the campaign. She has paid $250 and still owes $25.

Gibbs is on the ballot this year for a council seat.  She filed her primary declaration, known as an A-1 form, in February, but has not filed with ELEC for the general election.

The commission reprimanded James Norris and James Fry but imposed no additional fines.

Norris, who won re-election to the Middle Township Committee in 2022, filed three reports between 393 and 441 days late. ELEC granted mitigation after Norris said a member of his immediate family was seriously ill when the reports were due.

Fry filed his sworn statement 620 days late, the longest delay among the six cases. He said he spent no money in the 2023 Ocean Gate Republican primary and was seriously ill when the report was due.

Fry later ran unopposed in the general election for a one-year unexpired term on the Ocean Gate Borough Council and won with 357 votes.

All six candidates eventually filed their missing reports before ELEC issued its final decisions.