By Walter Elliott
NEWARK – “Local Talk” voters as of 2:22 p.m. Nov. 9, unofficially tended to reflect statewide and national voting trends.
There were some split tickets and some new faces voted in on the federal through municipal/school board levels. The participating registered voters, however, tended to stick with who and what they knew – incumbents.
The tallies remain unofficial. Vote By Mail Ballots need to be received by the Essex County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Building at 495 King Blvd. before 4 p.m. Nov. 14.
There is also a two week clock running since the polls’ 8 p.m. Nov. 8 closing. That fortnight is reserved for any challenges and/or recounts.
Essex County Clerk Christopher Durkin reported Wednesday afternoon that 541 of the 565 voting machines deployed across its 21 municipalities were used or had reported their results.
Durkin also reported, however, that 163,842 ballots had been cast or received so far from the county’s 563,142 registered voters. The participation rate comes out to 29.09 percent.
U.S. CONGRESSIONAL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Eighth Congressional District (Newark’s East and North Wards, Union County’s Elizabeth and 10 Hudson County towns whole or in part).
Robert J. “Rob” Menendez, Jr., (D-Englewood) was elected to succeed the retiring Albio Sires (D-W. New York) as its congressman by an almost four-to-one ratio.
Menendez, in Essex County, as of 2:22 p.m. Nov. 9, drew 5,778 votes for 77.14 percent. Marcos Arroyo (R-W. New York) had the second-highest county tally at 1,472 votes or 19.65 percent.
Socialist Workers Party candidate Joanne Kuriansky, of W. New York, mustered 85 votes for 1.13 percent. Labor Party candidate Pablo Olivera, of Newark, almost broke through the “one percent barrier” with 69 votes or .92 percent.
Hoboken Libertarian Dan Delaney, at 34 or .45; David W. Cook (People Over Parties, Kearny), at 31 or .41, and John V. Salerno (Truth and Merit-Jersey City), at 21 or .28, completed the ballot.
10th CD (Rest of Newark, Irvington, East Orange, Orange, Montclair’s Fourth Ward, three “West Essex” towns and eight Union County towns whole or in part):
Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-Newark) was re-elected by an over eight-to-one ratio in the county. Payne pulled 52,006 or 84.92. David H. Pinckney (R-Irvington) was next up with 7,827 or 12.78.
Glen Ridger Cynthia A. Johnson, under her “Jobs and Justice” banner, placed third at 1,001 or 1.63. Bayonne Libertarian Kendal Ledden received 227 or .37. Rev. Clenard Howard Childress, Jr. (Mahali Party-Montclair) completed the field at 181 or .30.
11th CD (South Orange, Maplewood, Belleville, Bloomfield, rest of Montclair, seven “West Essex,” four “Southwestern Passaic County” and 25 Morris County towns.)
Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) outdrew Paul DeGroot (R-Montville) in Essex County by a nearly three-to-one ratio. Sherrill was re-elected with 64,503 or 70.62. DeGroot tallied 26,079 or 28.57.
Libertarian Joseph Biasco, of Lincoln Park, received 736 or .81. Biasco had quit the race on Nov. 6 and endorsed DeGroot.
SPECIAL STATE SENATE 28 LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT ELECTION (Irvington, Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Nutley, parts of Newark’s West, North and South wards):
Incumbent appointee Renee C. Burgess (D-Irvington) was elected to complete the retired Ron C. Rice’s term by nearly four-to-one.
Burgess, a former Irvington Council President, garnered 28,969 or 77.48. Challenger Joy Bembry Freeman (R-Irvington) got 8,419 or 22.52.
ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE
Countywide voters helped extend Joseph N. DiVincenzo (D-Roseland)’s record incumbency by nearly four-to-one.
DiVincenzo drew 124,158 among all 22 Essex County municipalities for 79.98. Adam Kraemer (R-West Orange) carried 31,081 for 20.02.
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL RACES
WEST ORANGE
A majority of participating registered voters picked a successor to Mayor Robert Parisi from among four current or former Township Council members and picked two newcomers to the council.
Council President Susan McCartney is to become mayor Jan. 1 thanks to 4,314 or 31.44. Councilwoman Cindy Matute-Brown was second-best at 3,511 or 25.59.
Rev. William “Bill” Rutherford registered third place at 3,139 or 22.88. Former councilman Joseph Krakoviak completed 2,756 or 20.09.
Asmeret Ghebremichael and Susan Scarpa were elected to the Township Council from a four-candidate field. Ghebremichael garnered 7,192 or 34.12. Scarpa secured the second seat with 5,364 or 25.45. Ron Charles came in third at 4,684 or 22.22. William Michael Barbee tallied 3,087 or 18.20
MAPLEWOOD
Deborah Engel was elected unopposed to this year’s sole open Township Committee seat. Engel drew all 7,972 votes.
BLOOMFIELD
Mayor Michael Venezia and his at-large council team rolled to unchallenged victory. Venezia was “100 percent” at 9,270.
Dr. Wartyna “Tina” Davis was the top council vote-getter at 8,690 or 33.96. Ted Gamble followed with 8,486 or 33.17 Richard Rockwell rounded out the field at 8,411 or 32.87.
GLEN RIDGE
Incumbents and Civic Conference Committee endorsees Peter Hughes and Richard Law
were re-elected to their Borough Council seats. Hughes topped the borough tallies with 1,971 or 50.81 Law was served with 1,908 or 49.19.
BOARDS OF EDUCATION
MONTCLAIR
A majority of township voters, in their first-ever November school board election, filled three board seats with an incumbent and two challengers and approved a school construction bond referendum.
Second-time runner Yvonne W. Bourknight secured a MBOE seat by becoming the night’s top vote-getter. The Transparency, Equity, Diversity candidate drew 9,242 or 30.39.
Brian Fleischer’s first-time run yielded the second seat at 7,790 or 25.62. Mfeke “Monk” Inyang, who was first elected in a special March election, received his first three-year term. Inyang tallied 6,885 or 22.64. Noah Gale (Protect Special Education) garnered 6,494 or 21.35.
Montclair voters also approved the $187.7 million School Bond Construction Public Question by over four-to-one. 11,153 voters, or 84.1 percent, said “Yes.” 2,123, or 15.99, said “No.”
ORANGE
A majority of city voters split the two competing tickets to fill their three school board seats.
Incumbent Shawneque Johnson led the night’s vote tally and her Children’s Future Matters ticket with 2,362 or 29.34. Former Orange Board of Education President and Parents for Excellence team leader Tyrone J. Tarver was returned by 1,949 and 19.29. Incumbent Sueann Gravesande secured the third OBOE seat with 1,357 or 16.86. Anthony S. Nimley (Parents for Excellence) placed third at 1,261 or 15.66. Guadalupe Cabio (Children’s Future Matters completed the field at 1,121 or 13.93.
WEST ORANGE
A majority of township voters kept the sole incumbent and picked a first-termer from a field of three. Jennifer Tunnicliffe became the night’s top vote-getter by tallying 6,947 or 39.65. Robert (For Our Kids) Ivker got the other seat with 5,559 or 31.73.
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD
A majority of two-town voters swept in the “Students Come First” team over the “Doing Better Together” ticket.
Nubia Wilson led her SCF teammates and the five candidates with 9,287 or 24.92. Regina Eckert was next at 8.418 or 22.59. William R. Gifford III completed the sweep with 8,002 or 21.47. William M. Meyer (DBT) placed fourth at 5,891 or 15.81. Teammate Ritu Pancholy came in at 5,671 or 15.22.
BLOOMFIELD
Township voters chose two incumbents and a challenger to fill its three board seats. Former BBOE President Jill Fischman topped the field with 5,460 or 24.43.
Fellow incumbent Benjamin Morse (Together is Better) was second at 50,56 or 22.62. His teammate, Phyllis Gerber, took the last seat with 4,971 or 22.24.
Josefina Rosario-Simone brough the Strong for Kids ticket home at 4,139 or 18.52. Running mate Joshua Trojak tallied 2,726 or 12.20.
GLEN RIDGE
“Local Talk” will be seeking a clarification on the second-highest vote-getting candidate on the Nov. 8 ballot.
For the record, longtime incumbent Elisabeth Ginsburg topped the five candidates on the ballot with 1,965 or 26.55.
Dr. Heather Yaros-Ramos, however, received 1,942 or 26.24 for the second seat. “Local Talk,” however, was informed that the incumbent withdrew from the campaign on Oct. 1 – too late to have her name removed from the ballot.
The Glen Ridge Board of Education was to appoint Yaros-Ramos’ interim successor, good only until Jan. 1 at their Nov. 9 meeting past deadline.
First-time runner Tricia Akinwande received the third-highest tally at 1,727 or 23.34. Darius K. Dehard, on his own GR Parents Alliance ticket, was next at 1,070 or 14.46. Steven (Common Sense Candidate) Lord completed the field at 696 or 941.
BELLEVILLE
“A Better Belleville” slate of two incumbents and a newcomer swept the three board seats.
Incumbent Luis Antonio Muniz, Jr. topped the night’s tallies at 3,111 or 23.63. Board of Trustees President Gabrielle Bennett-Meany mustered second at 2,644 or 20.09. Teammate and first-timer Michael Louis Derro drew 2,167 or 16.46.
Lissa Missaggia (Put Children First) came in fourth at 2,078 or 15.79. Reuben Angel Rodriguez (Parents for Education) was next at 1,628 or 12.37 Michael Sheldon ($500 Tax Rebates) rounded out the field at 1,535 or 11.66.
NUTLEY
Township voters filled their three board seats with two incumbents and a newcomer from among six candidates.
Former NBOE President Charles Kucinski, under his own Experience, Integrity, Stability banner, kept his seat with 3,917 or 21.85.
First-time candidate Tom (Innovative, Experienced, Invested) D’Elia came in second at 3,587 or 20.01. Theresa “Teri” Quirk, on her “Your Voice Matters” ticket, was retained by 3,268 or 18.23.
Laura Valente and her Looking Forward teammate, Andrea Pogarsky came in fourth and fifth. Valente got 2,973 or 16.59 and Pogarsky 2,146 or 1,197. Emanuele (Excellence in Education) Triggiano tallied 2,032 or 11.34.
