By Walter Elliott
NEWARK – Members of the major parties faithful will see more of a mix of familiar and fresh names on the June 7 ballot largely thanks to congressional redistricting.
Several “Local Talk” towns, whole or in part, have been moved to adjacent Congressional Districts based on the 2020 U.S. Census. The New Jersey committee in charge of redrawing CD lines did so to maintain a balance of population among the 12 districts.
The population rebalancing affects the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The U.S. Senate, where each state has a constant pair of statewide senators, is unaffected.
Voters getting used to their new CD neighbors are on top of the usual picks for the “best candidate” and/or which direction should the local Democratic and Republican parties should go.
There are party primary choices to be made on or by June 7 for Essex County Executive and Maplewood Township Committee.
The following is partly based and partly in advance of the posting of sample ballots on essexclerk.com. Maplewood’s sample ballot, for example, was not posted on that website as of May 24.
U.S. CONGRESS HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES
EIGHTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: (Newark’s North and East Wards, Union County’s Elizabeth, 10 Hudson County Towns Whole or in Part) and eight Union County towns whole or in part.)
Democratic Party members have three candidates to succeed the retiring incumbent Albio Sires: Robert J. “Bob” Menendez, Jr. of Englewood, David Ocampo Grajales, of Jersey City, and Ane Roseborough-Eberhard, of Weehawken.
Menendez, Esq. who is on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Board of Commissioners, is the son of U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, Sr. He has the backing of the Essex, Hudson and Union Democratic Committees.
Grajales is the director of a startup company that assists hospitals and universities with worker safety and environmental compliance. He has the favor of Essex, Hudson and Union Progressive Democrats.
Roseborough-Eberhard is a Weehawken High School history teacher and a state Amistad Commission member.
Newark Seton Hall Law School professor Eugene D. Manzo and North Bergen digital marketing business owner Brian Varela \withdrew after their petitions fell under the 200 validated signature minimum.
Republican Party members are to choose between Marcos Arroyo, of West New York, and write-in candidate Ana Isabel Rivera, of Newark.
Arroyo, a professional housing inspector. has Essex County Republican Organization endorsement.
Rivera is a plumber’s apprentice and a mother of two.
10TH CD: (Rest of Newark, Irvington, East Orange, Orange, West Orange, Montclair’s Fourth Ward, three “West Essex” towns and “West/Central” Jersey City.)
Democratic party members are to choose among incumbent Donald M. Payne, Jr., of Newark, Essex County College Africana Institute Director Akil Khalfani, of West Orange and former New Jersey Working Families constituent advocate Imari Oakley, of Montclair.
Khalfani is running under the Essex, Hudson, Union Democrats for Change. Oakley carries the Essex, Hudson and Union “Pride, Progress New Jersey” flags.
Republican members are to choose between David H. Pinckney, of Irvington, and Garth Stewart, of Jersey City.
Pinckney, a substitute teacher and an independent contractor, has the endorsement of the Essex and Union Regular Organizations.
Stewart, a self-employed Purple Heart Iraqi War veteran is running courtesy of Essex-Hudson-Union “Friends of Garth.”
11TH CD: (South Orange, Maplewood, Belleville, Bloomfield, Nutley, Glen Ridge, three of Montclair’s wards, seven “West Essex,” two “Southwestern” Passaic County and 25 Morris County towns)
Democratic voters have either incumbent Mikie Sherrill, of Montclair, on the ballot or can write in a candidate of their choice. Sherrill has the endorsement of the Essex, Morris and Passaic Democratic Committees.
Republican voters have Toby Anderson, of Morristown, Paul DeGroot, of Montville-Pine Brook, Alexander R. Halter, of Denville, Ruth McAndrew, of Randolph, and Tayfun Selen, of Chatham Township, to choose from.
Anderson, a U.S. Army Iraqi War Bronze Star veteran and small business owner, is under the tri-county “America First Veteran” pennant.
DeGroot, a Montclair State College graduate and former Passaic County Assistant Prosecutor, has Passaic County Republican Organization endorsement.
Halter, a real estate consultant and former 13-year producer for SportsNet New York, is flying the Essex-Morris “America First” flag.
McAndrew is an RN and the third-generation owner-operator of the Miller Farm.
Selen, a former Chatham Township mayor, is a Morris County Commissioner. He also has the support of the Essex, Morris and Passaic Republican Party Organizations.
ESSEX COUNTY
County Executive
Countywide Democratic party members are to endorse incumbent Joseph N. DiVincenzo, of Roseland. DiVincenzo is seeking a nomination for another term.
Republican voters are to similarly endorse Adam Kraemer, of West Orange, to represent them on the Nov. 7 General Election ballot.
MUNICIPAL
The MAPLEWOOD Democratic Committee, in an unusual move, endorsed both incumbent Deborah Engel and challenger Kurt Kiley for the single open Township Committee seat. Outgoing former Mayor Frank McGehee has decided not to run for re-election.
Maplewood’s Republican Committee did not file a candidate. Township GOP members may write in their own choice.
While the Essex County Clerk and Board of Elections leave ballot space open for GLEN RIDGE’s two Borough Council seats, whatever counts will come from write-in votes.
Glen Ridge annually holds their nonpartisan mayor, council and board of education elections on the General Election ballot. The competition among borough candidates is for Civic Conference Committee endorsement, where the local Democratic and Republican parties have memberships.
Participating registered party voters have the choice between Vote By Mail or in-person polling station voting machine balloting. Both modes allow for early voting provided that the balloting is done before 8 p.m. June 7.
Voters who have received their Vote By Mail Ballots may deposit them in the mail or in designated county drop boxes. Locations are to be found at Vote.nj.gov.
Voters may also personally deliver their ballots at the Essex County Clerk’s Election Division office during regular business hours and until 8 p.m. June 7. The office is in the new Essex County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Justice Building, 495 Martin Luther King Blvd., here in Newark.
Mailed-in ballots have six days’ grace – or June 13 – to be received by the Essex County Clerk Elections Division office so long as they have a June 7 or earlier postmark.
Those who prefer to personally press buttons and pull levers have early and election day stations to choose from.
There are mine early voting stations – including seven among five “Local Talk” towns – being placed while you read this. They will be open June 3-4, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. and June 5 10 a.m.-6 p.m. They will all be closed on June 6.
Those who want to traditionally vote in person June 7 are to first check their sample ballot for any polling station location changes.
June 7 voters are to go to their designated polling stations as printed on their sample ballots. VBMBs cannot be used or delivered there. The polls are to be open 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. Provisional ballots are to be provided in case of any on-site problems.
The county is using new scanner-based voting machines.
Voters are to receive paper ballots and are to fill the ovals of their choice like they would have done on school day standardized tests. The filled-in ballots are then inserted and run through an electronic scanner to record the vote.
Details are found and questions asked at essexclerk.com and/or essexboardofelections.com.
