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Asbury Park native Felicia Simmons has filed a petition to run against incumbent Councilman Jesse Kendle in the November 6 election, City Clerk Cindy Dye has confirmed.

Kendle [below left], a former coach who heads the Recreation Committee and sits on the Special Events Committee, was first elected to office as part of the Asbury Together ticket in 2014 following a change of government approved by voters the prior year.

Simmons [below right], who served on the Asbury Park Board of Education from 2013 to 2016, is among the group of petitioners who are seeking to shift the City’s form of government to a three ward, partisan election.

Neither could be reached for comment at the time of this posting.

Dye confirmed they garnered enough signatures to place the matter in the hands of the voters and the City Council passed a resolution to move the matter on to Board of Elections during its Aug 22 meeting.

If voters approve the measure it would spark a new election next year, requiring candidates to vie for the residential seats as well as an at large seat and the mayoral seat.

The petitioners also garnered enough signatures to have second question pertaining to shifting from nonpartisan to partisan races, born out of the June primaries.

The City Council also moved to send a proposed initiative that relaxes short term rental guidelines put in place one year ago.

No petitions were filed challenging incumbent Mayor John Moor’s bid for a second term, meaning he will run uncontested in November. But Moor may face another election should the shift in government question passes. 

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