Most incumbents win in N.J. school board elections

With 1,771 16- and 17-year-olds eligible to vote in this year’s Newark school board election, three candidates backed by the local education establishment – incumbent Kanileah Anderson (2,674) and newcomers David Daughety (2,290) and Louis Maisonave, Jr. (2,248) – won an landslide victory for three Board of Education seats in an eleven-candidate field.

Trailing were another slate: Ade’Kamil Kelly (955), and Nathanael Barthelemy (780), and Shana Melius (764).  Behind them: Yolanda Johnson (650), Latoya Jackson (626), Elaine Asyah Aquil (550), Jordy Nivar (367), and DeWayne Bush (189).

Thirteen other New Jersey municipalities had school board elections today:

Cliffside Park: Daniel Murtagh (579) was the top vote-getter in a race for three school board seats, with incumbents Lisa Frato (554) and Kleidon Ndreu (482) winning re-election.  Another incumbent, Letizia Pantoliano (420), was defeated.

Fairview: Incumbents Diane Testa (165) and Francisco Martinez (165) and newcomer Angelo D’Arminio (159) were unopposed.

Garfield: Three candidates on “Save Our Schools” slate — Arlene Patire (677), William J. Oddo (598) and Larrisa Ihsan (608) ousted incumbents Alea Sanchez (390) and Aldo Munoz (337), who were running on the “Education, Not Politics” ticket with Bogumila Swietek (388).  Also defeated were Richard Derrig (375) and Nancy Kutsup (439), who were running under the “Experienced Focus Leadership” slate, Abdelkader Sardena (185) and Ismet Feratoski (122)

Irvington: Janelle Lowery, Joel Wanamaker, and Joseph Sylvain were unopposed

Lodi: Incumbents John Cannizzaro (470) and  Laura Cima (464) won re-election alongside Jocelyn Anderson (454) on the “Continue the Progress” slate.  They defeated the “Citizens Against Corruption” slate: Michael Caruso(323), Katie Lugo-Lisath (316), and Joao Mendes (310).

Randolph, incumbents Allison Manfred (1,303) was re-elected, but another incumbent, Ron Conti (767) was defeated by Howard Hessel (989) and Wayne Alley, Sr. (935).  There were 486 write-in votes cast.

Totowa: Three incumbents were unopposed: Joseph A. Parlegreco, RoseMarie Carr, and Gary Bierach.

Passaic: Two incumbents are won re-election: Maryann Capursi (1,133) and Patricia “Abril” Barrales-Garcia.  (1,270); a third seat was captured by Michael “Moshe” Gross (1,124).  They defeated Juan Arroyo (412) and Marko Kopic (284).

New Brunswick: Four incumbents — Ivan Adorno, Yesenia Medina-Hernandez, Janessa Ortiz, and Ashley Caldwell – were unopposed.

North Bergen: Three incumbents — Sai Rao, Patricia Bartoli, and Luis Rabelo – were re-elected without opposition.

Weehawken: Incumbents Ildefonso Acosta, and Marissa Dennis, and newcomer Jennifer Martin-Melgarejo, were unopposed for three seats.

West New York: Incumbents Jonathan Castañeda, Ana Sanchez, and Douglas Velasquez were re-elected.

Westfield: Three incumbents were re-elected in Westfield: Kristen Sonnek-Schmelz (3,445), Robert Benacchio (3,201) and Mary Wickens (2,991).  They defeated Violetta Watson (2,678).   Voters approved a referendum to establish an all-day kindergarten program with 69.6% of the vote, 3,604-1,571.

Election Day comes around regularly in New Jersey: the state has already had seven elections this year: special conventions to fill a State Senate seat in the 35th, State Assembly seats in the 6th, 7th, and 35th districts, and Burlington County Commissioner; five municipalities held special school elections in January, and March special school elections.