STATE – Candidates have filed petitions to run for seats on area school boards. Though the original deadline was Monday afternoon, Gov. Jon Corzine extended it until 4 p.m. Wednesday because a snowstorm Monday caused most school districts to shut down.
New Jersey voters will choose board members and vote on school spending plans on April 21.
Here is a breakdown of the local races:
Carteret
Three seats are available. Incumbents Fred Gerstler and Martin Murray are joined on the ballot by William Davis and Danielle DeStefano.
Clark
Three seats are available. Incumbents Jill Curran, Gregory DeSalvo and Henry R. Varriano are running unopposed.
Edison
Three seats are available. Newcomers Ralph Errico, Natu Patel, Christina Olsen-HusseinAlka Aneja, Dr. Frank Heelan and John Szilagyi Jr. are challenging incumbents David J. Dickinson, Joseph Romano and Deborah A. Anes.
Elizabeth
Seven candidates are seeking three three-year terms. Incumbents Raul Burgos and Armando Da Silva are seeking re-election. They are joined on the ballot by Eley Castillo-Ospina, Maria DaRassi, John Donoso, Stan Neron and Robert Petty. Board member Jeremiah Grace is not seeking re-election.
Eddie Branquinho, appointed to the board to replace Tony Monteiro in November, will be unopposed in his bid to complete the final year of the term.
Linden
Ten candidates are seeking three three-year terms. Incumbents William Motley and Raymond J. Topoleski are running along with former board member Nicholas Nigro and newcomers Joann M. Fruciano, Manuel Donelson, Zephaniah Gibson, Tracy Nunez, Charlette Richardson, Darell Richardson and Jacqueline D. Williams.
Metuchen
Three seats are available. Incumbents Mary T. Kohl and Frances Brennan, and challengers Tanya Andrews and JoAnn Sabatino-Falkenstein are on the ballot.
Perth Amboy
Three seats are available. Incumbent Joel Pabon Sr. is running along with Nikole Collins-Puri, Victor Robinson Coronado, Obdulia Gonzalez, Samuel Lebreault, Lisa Nanton, Kenneth Puccio, Maria Valdez and Israel Varela.
Rahway
Three three-year seats are up for election. The three incumbents are seeking re-election: Theresa Mikajlo, Lillie Henderson and Michael Staryak. Bernard Robson, a former board member, is also running
Sayreville
Three seats are available. Incumbents Kevin E. Ciak and Jill Trapp and newcomers Helen Bruno-Raccuia and Laurie Esposito are running. Board member Leonard W. Zaleski will not seek reelection, according to officials.
South Amboy
Two people — Lynn Kasics and Paula L. Taggart — filed for three available board seats. Incumbents Bernadette Beck, Thomas Reilly and Corey La Vigne are not seeking reelection, officials said.
Woodbridge
Nine candidates are seeking three seats. Incumbents Judy Leidner of Iselin and Larry Miloscia in Port Reading are seeking their fourth and third terms, respectively, while six newcomers are also running. They are Monica Michelle Smith of Colonia, Ezio Tamburello of Colonia, Peter Romanienko of Woodbridge proper, Andrew Zajcek Jr. of Woodbridge proper, Paul Lund of Hopelawn, Bill Neveil of Sewaren and Patricia H. Ryan of Colonia.
Patricia Hardiman of Iselin is not seeking reelection, officials said.
