Monmouth County could be getting a new Superintendent of Elections after Gov. Phil Murphy nominated Christopher Siciliano, the mayor of Ocean Township, on Monday.
He would replace Mary DeSarno, a Republican who has held the post since 2016. He had been a registered Democrat until earlier this year, when he switched to unaffiliated.
“Anticipating that something like this might come up, it’s best that I have this identity and not a D or an R,” Siciliano told the New Jersey Globe. “That will help people keep faith in elections.”
Siciliano, who is well-liked by both parties, has been mayor for eight years and spent nearly two decades on the township council, running only in non-partisan municipal elections.
If confirmed by the State Senate, Siciliano, would need to resign his seat on the township council. But he will remain in office until the Senate acts
Since it’s unlikely that a confirmation vote would be held before September 15, there will be no special election this fall.
Instead, remaining four councilmember will decide on a replacement who will finish Siciliano’s term. Ocean Township has non-partisan elections and all five seats are up in May 2023.
The existing council will also need to select a new mayor. John P. Napolitani, Sr., the current deputy mayor and a Democrat, would fill the post on an interim basis until the governing body makes their decision.
A slate backed by Siciliano won four of the five seats in 2019.
Robert Acerra was dropped from Siciliano’s ticket after running as the Republican candidate for State Assembly in the 11th district in 2017 but won re-election by 68 votes.
Councilwoman Margie Donlon is a Democrat and Councilman David Fisher is unaffiliated with either party.
DeSarno is expected to stay on in another position. She had run unsuccessfully for the Wall Township Committee as a Democrat in 1983, 1985 and 1990, but later switched parties and became the Wall GOP Municipal Chair in 2008.