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When the city’s voters go to the polls tomorrow, they’ll be making decisions on the local, regional and state levels.

Along with choosing a Governor, U.S. Senator, two Members of the General Assembly, a Sheriff and two Freeholders, Asbury Park voters will select five residents for the board of education—a majority of seats on the nine member board.

The city’s voters will also be asked to vote on three public questions, including whether they will change the city’s form of government. If a majority approves the change of government a new mayor and council will be elected in November of 2014.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow.

ASBURY PARK BOARD OF EDUCATION

Voters will be asked to select five new Board of Education [BOE] members at the polls tomorrow. Five candidates are running for three full, three-year seats on the nine-member board, and four candidates are running for two one-year unexpired terms.

Full-term candidates are Connie Sue Breech, Arva M. Council, incumbent Nicolle D. Harris, Corey Lowell, and incumbent Qzeena Taylor.

For the one-year unexpired terms, incumbents Kenneth Saunders and Felicia Simmons square off against write-in hopefuls Calvin Anderson and Carol Jones. 

Click the names in bold to read profiles of the candidates that took part in the Asbury Park Sun special series: Meet the candidates.

CITY OF ASBURY PARK CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT QUESTION

Voters will decide on a public question regarding whether the city should accept the recommendations made by the charter study commission to change the city’s form of municipal government.

The public question is as follows: Shall the COUNCIL/MANAGER PLAN of the Optional Municipal Charter Law providing for FIVE (5) council members to be ELECTED AT LARGE for STAGGERED terms at NON-PARTISAN elections held in NOVEMBER, including the Mayor elected DIRECTLY BY THE VOTERS, WITH RUN-OFF ELECTIONS to be held thereafter if a sufficient bumber of candidates fail to attain a majority of votes, be adopted by The CITY OF ASBURY PARK?

The explanatory statement is as follows:

The voters of the City of Asbury Park will be asked at the general election of November 5, 2013 to approve a change of the City’s form of government from the Municipal Manager form (N.J.S.A. 40:79-1, et seq.) to the Council-Manager form (N.J.S.A. 40:69A-81, et seq.) under the Optional Municipal Charter Law, also known as the “Faulker Act.”

If approved, the City will be governed by a Council of five (5) members, which includes a directly-elected Mayor. The Council will exercise legislative powers and set municipal policy for the City. The Council shall appoint a Municipal Manager, who will exercise all executive and administrative powers.

The Mayor will be directly elected by voters for a term of four (4) years. The remainder of the Council members shall be elected by the voters for staggered terms of four (4) years each. In order to initiate staggered terms, two (2) of the first Council members elected under the new form of government shall serve for only two (2) years, to be determined by lot at the organization meeting of the first Council.

A municipal election shall be held every two (2) years thereafter. If any candidate does not achieve a majority of votes in any election, there will be a runoff for that office.

The Council shall be elected at large through non-partisan regular municipal elections conducted under the “Uniform Non-partisan Elections Law” (N.J.S.A. 40:45-5, et seq.), and held on the day of the general election in November, rather than on the second Tuesday in May.

If the change of government is approved by the voters, then the first municipal election will be held in November, 2014, and the new Council will be installed on January 1, 2015.

For the Sun’s full coverage of the Charter Study Commission from start to finish, click here.

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COUNTY BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS

Voters will pick two Monmouth County Freeholders to serve two full three-year terms.

The five Freeholders are charged with preparing and adopting the county budget; authorizing expenditures and bonds; appointing county officials and members to boards, commissions and authorities; and supervising the administration of the county government.

Republican incumbents Thomas A. Arnone and Serena DiMaso face Democratic challengers Brian Froelich and Larry Luttrell.

Arnone  is vying for a fourth year in office. He was sworn in to a three-year term on the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders on Jan. 6, 2011 and became director of the Board of Chosen Freeholders in 2013 after serving as deputy director in 2012. Prior to his election as a freeholder, Arnone was the mayor of Neptune City from 2004 through 2010, according to the county website.

DiMaso was sworn in to her first elected term on the Board of Chosen Freeholders on Jan. 3, 2013 and named deputy director. Prior to becoming a freeholder, DiMaso served on the Holmdel Township Committee from 2002 to 2011, serving as mayor from 2006 to 2010 and as deputy mayor in 2011, according to the county website.

Froelich is an lifelong New Jersey resident who lives with his family in Spring Lake. He is a long-standing member of the board of trustees for his high school alma mater, St. Benedicts Preparatory School in Newark and also helped to develop senior living communities in Tinton Falls and Pompton Plains, according to his campaign website.

Luttrell is an attorney based out of Holmdel. He is active in the New Jersey legal community and is a member of the American Bar Association, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, New Jersey Bar Association, Florida Bar Association and Monmouth Bar Association, according to his business website.

MONMOUTH COUNTY SHERIFF

The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, located in Freehold, NJ, is comprised a 609 member, $67 million agency which consists of three divisions: law enforcement, corrections and communications, according to the sheriff’s office website.

Sheriff Shaun Golden is seeking his second full term in office as the Republican incumbent. He is being challenged by Democratic candidate Ruben M. Scolavino, an attorney who currently resides in Freehold.

NEW JERSEY STATE ASSEMBLY – 11th DISTRICT

Four candidates are running for the two positions that represent the 11th district on the state General Assembly, including Republican incumbents Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande who are being challenged by Democrats Edward Zipprich and Kevin McMillan.

Angelini, of Ocean Township, took office in January, 2008. She currently serves as ranking member on the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee and sits on the Assembly Human Services Committee, according to the Monmouth County Republicans website.

Casagrande is currently serving her third term in the New Jersey Assembly. She is a member of the Assembly Appropriations Committee and the Women and Children Committee,  according to the Monmouth County Republicans website..

McMillan has served on the Neptune Township Committee for over 10 years and has served two terms as mayor, according to the Monmouth County Democrats website.

Zipprich is a member of the Red Bank Council, he represents the council on the planning board and serves as liaison to the Red Bank Historic Preservation Commission and the Shade Tree Committee, chairs the Department of Public Utilities Committee, and serves as a member of the Finance and Personnel, Education and Technology, Public Works and Parking Advisory committees, according to the Monmouth County Democrats website.

STATE SENATE 

Three candidates are vying for a six-year term in the states Senate, including incumbent Republican candidate Jennifer Beck, Democratic candidate Michael Brantley and one candidate who won nomination by petition, For the People candidate Marie E. Amato-Juckiewicz.

GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR 

Voters will select a New Jersey state Governor and Lieutenant Governor for a four-year term. Incumbent Republican Christopher J. Christie and Kimberly M. Guadagno are being challenged by Democrats Barbara Buono and Milly Silva.

Six other candidates won nomination by petition, including Peace and Freedom Party candidates William  Araujo and Maria Salamanca; Glass-Steagall Now candidates Diane W. Sare and Bruce Todd; Green Party candidates Steven Welzer and Patricia Alessandrini; Libertarian Party candidates Kenneth R. Kaplan and Brenda Bell; Economic Growth candidates Hank Schroeder and Patricia Moschella; and NSA Did 911 candidates Jeff Boss and Robert B. Thorne.

STATE PUBLIC QUESTION NO. 1: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO PERMIT MONEY FROM EXISTING GAMES OF CHANCE TO SUPPORT VETERANS’ ORGANIZATIONS

Voters will be asked to choose “yes” or “no” on a state public question regarding a constitutional amendment that would allow veterans’ to use the money collected from games of chance to support their organizations. The public question will be worded as follows:

Do you approve amending the Constitution to allow veterans’ organizations to use money collected from existing games of chance to support their organizations?

The interpretive statement is as follows:

This amendment to the Constitution would allow veterans’ organizations to use the money collected from existing games of chance (such as bingo, lotto or raffles) to support their organizations. At present, the Constitution allows this money to be used only for educational, charitable, patriotic, religious or public-spirited purposes. Currently, only senior citizen groups may use the money they collect from existing games of chance to support their groups.

STATE PUBLIC QUESTION No. 2: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO SET A STATE MINUMIM WAGE WITH ANNUAL COST OF LIVING INCREASES

Voters will also be asked to choose “yes” or “no” on a state public question regarding a constitutional amendment to increase the state minimum wage by $1 per hour with annual increases tied to the consumer price index.

The public question is as follows:

Do you approve an amending the State Constitution to set a State minimum wage rate of at least $8,25 per hour? The amendment also requires annual increases in that rate if there are annual increases in the cost of living.

The interpretive statement is as follows:

This amendment to the State Constitution sets the State minimum wage at the level in effect under current law, or $8.25 per hour, whichever is more. Cost of living increases would be added each year. Also, if the federal minimum wage rate is raised above the State rate, the State rate would be raised to match the federal rate. Future cost of living increases then would be added to that raised rate.

 

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