Write-in candidate wins Fredon school board seat by 23 votes

In a write-in campaign for a seat on the Fredon Township Board of Education, Jennifer Frame appears to have defeated Donald Ciccolella by 23 votes, 99 to 76, after no candidate filed for one of the school board seats.

The 41-year-old Frame sells natural wellness products and is a part-time bartender.  According to her social media site, the mother of three had opposed Gov. Phil Murphy’s mandate that children wear masks in schools during the pandemic.

Just one provisional ballot remains uncounted, and a late influx of vote-by-mail ballots postmarked by 8 PM last night is unlikely.

An additional 19 write-in votes were not assigned, according to the Sussex County Clerk’s office.

Incumbent Arne Olsen was re-elected with 254 votes.

Catherine Higgins did not seek re-election.

In a race for an unexpired term, incumbent Anthony Corcella, who was appointed to fill a vacant seat last year, ran unopposed.

Voter turnout in Fredon on  Tuesday was 10.5%.

Cicolella’s wife, Laura, won 38% of the vote as an independent candidate for Fredon Township Committee last year against Republican incumbent Carl Lazzaro.

While school board elections are not partisan, Frame is a Republican and Ciccolella is a Democrat.