Twenty-three people have filed for candidacy in the upcoming Asbury Park council election, scheduled for May 14.
Each candidate was required to collect the signatures of 85 registered Asbury Park voters and submit them to City Hall by 5 p.m. today. Each of the candidates had collected more than 100 signatures, city clerk Steve Kay said.
The current council’s terms expire on June 30, with new four-year terms beginning July 1.
All five seats on the council are up for grabs in this nonpartisan election. Of the 23 candidates, three are running independently while the remaining 20 are divided into four tickets.
Randy Thompson, Justice Allah and Harold V. Suggs are running independently.
The Forward Asbury Park ticket features incumbent council members Susan J. Henderson, John M. Loffredo and Kevin G. Sanders, as well as newcomers Gregory Hopson Sr. and William D. Potter.
The A-Team ticket consists of Remond Palmer, Duanne “King” Small, Nora Hyland, Daniel Harris and James Keady.
The One Asbury ticket consists of Amy Quinn, Myra L. Campbell, Joe Woerner, John B. Moor and Talesha A. Crank.
The AP Out Front ticket consists of Clevette Hill, Stephen M. Williams, Rosetta M. Johnson, Dorvil Gilles and Shonna Famularo.
Compared to the most recent city council election, nearly twice as many candidates are seeking office. In 2009, 12 candidates ran for council seats. In May 2005, 19 candidates ran. And in May 2001, 24 candidates ran for office.
The drawing for placement on the ballot is tentatively scheduled for Friday, March 22, at noon, Kay said, unless Kay is done verifying signatures sooner.