A town-by-town look at ballots in Sussex County for Election Day

Tuesday is Election Day and ballots in Sussex County include races for state Legislature, county commissioner and surrogate as well as local municipal elections.

There are also local questions in Byram, where a bond issue is on the ballot to fund a new municipal building; and in Vernon where voters are being asked to begin a "length of service" program as a retirement benefit for local volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services.

Not all races have two or more candidates to choose from and there is even one town where there is a race for an unexpired term on the township committee with no names on the ballot.

Here are some of the races to watch:

24th Legislative District

In the 24th Legislative District, there are no incumbents running, although current Assemblyman Parker Space is seeking a spot in the state Senate. On the Republican line with him seeking the two Assembly posts are Dawn Fantasia, seeking to move up from her current position as a Sussex County commissioner, and Morris County resident Michael Inganamort.

The Democrats have nominated Edmund Khanoo for the District 24 Senate race and Baramdai "Alicia" Sharma for Assembly. An independent candidate, Veronica Fernandez, is on the ballot under the "End the Corruption" banner.

The 24th district includes all of Sussex County as well as the Morris County municipalities of Chester, Chester Township, Mount Olive, Netcong, Roxbury and Washington Township and the Warren County municipalities of Allamuchy and Independence.

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Sussex County positions

For Sussex County-wide positions, incumbent Gary Chisano is running unopposed for a five-year term as county surrogate. The Surrogate Court oversees probating of wills and in the absence of a will or executor, oversees handling of a deceased person's estate, among other items.

The other county race is for a three-year term on the five-member Board of County Commissioners. Jack DeGroot of Wantage has the Republican endorsement while Damaris Lira is the Democrat candidate.

In all races, the ballot includes a chance for a voter to write-in the name of a candidate of their choice.

Sussex County municipal elections

There are no municipal races in Newton or Sparta this year. As two of four municipal governments organized under the state Faulkner Act in Sussex County, their elections are "non-partisan."

The other two "Faulkner Act" towns are Byram and Vernon, which are having municipal elections this year.

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Below is a town-by-town rundown of municipal elections:

Andover Borough elections

John Morgan is running unopposed for a four-year term as mayor and Erin Webb and Frederick G. DiRenzo are the Republican candidates for three-year terms on the Borough Council.

James Fetcho is running unopposed for a three-year term on the Andover Regional Board of Education.

Andover Township elections

Incumbent Republicans Michael Lensak and Thomas D. Walsh Jr., are funning for two, three-year terms on the Township Committee. Karl Halterman has the Democratic endorsement.

For two, three-year terms on the Andover Regional Board of Education the candidates are Maria Dunbar and Robert Koroski.

Branchville Borough elections

Incumbent Democrat Anthony Frato Sr. is running unopposed for a four-year term as mayor.

Two, three-year terms are open for the Borough Council with Mary Whitesell running as a Democrat and Beverly Bathgate and Tania Bansemer as the Republican candidates.

Byram Township elections

Byram is one of a handful of municipalities with local "municipal" questions on the ballot.

In the township's case, the question is seeking voter approval for a $9.15 million bond issue to finance a new municipal building. The project cost is $9.7 million and was approved by the Township Council in August.

In this year's election, there are three, four-year terms available on the Township Council with four candidates, each with their own campaign banner, running.

The candidates are: incumbents John M. "Jack" Gallagher, Jr., Lisa A. "Cris" Franco and Raymond Bonker; and Richard Proctor.

Byram voters will also be voting on members to the township Board of Education as well as the Lenape Valley Regional High School BOE.

Candidates for the township BOE, where three, three-year terms are available are James G. McBain, Alexandris Cicchetti-Smith, Lauren Pedersen, and Julie Lucente.

For the regional school board Shelley Credidio and Katy Cherry are running for the two, three-year terms.

Frankford elections

Republicans David Silverthorne and James P. Ayers are running unopposed for the two, three-year terms on the Township Committee.

There is no listed candidate for a three-year term on the High Point Regional Board of Education so a write-in candidate could win that race.

However, there are six candidates for three, three-year terms on the Frankford Township BOE with Mindy Smith and Jessie Vaughan running under the same banner. The other candidates, all running under their own banner, are: Kathleen Retz Adam, Darrin Chambers, Charlene Molnar and Chris Dexter, Jr.

Franklin Borough elections

Republican Mayor John M. Sowden is facing Shane Hrbek, running under the banner: "A New Perspective," for a four-year term as mayor.

In Franklin's "mayor/council" form of government, the mayor presides over council meetings, but only votes to break a tie. The mayor also has authority to sign documents on behalf of the borough.

For two open council positions, incumbent Republicans John Postas and Joe Limon are running unopposed.

Traci Dressner is running unopposed for a three-year seat on the Wallkill Valley Regional High School BOE while Kathleen Clohessey and Wayne Barton are the two listed candidates for three open three-year terms, which opens the way for a write-in candidate to possibly win the third seat.

Fredon Township elections

Republicans Glenn Deitz and Christopher Nichols are running unopposed for the two, three-year terms available on the Township Committee.

There is no election for the local school board, but Wayne R. Murch is running unopposed for a three-year term on the Kittatinny Regional High School BOE.

Green Township elections

There is as four-way race for three, three-year terms on the Green Township Board of Education among candidates Maarit E. Kelvin Korpos, Melissa Van Blarcom, Marie S. Bilik and Maureen McGuire.

Margaret Phillips and Virgina Raffay are the two listed candidates for two, three-year terms on the Township Committee.

Hamburg Borough elections

Joyce Oehler and George Endres are the Republican candidates for the two, three-year terms on the Borough Council.

Also running unopposed for three, three-year terms on the Hamburg Borough BOE are Robert Jones, Tricia Schels and David Dreifus.

Virginia Jones is running unopposed for a three-year term on the Wallkill Valley Regional High School BOE.

Hampton Township elections

Philip L. Yetter and David S. Hansen are running unopposed as Republicans for the two, three-year terms on the Township Committee.

In the school board race for the Hampton representative on the Kittatinny Regional High School BOE, there was no petition filed, meaning a write-in candidate could win the three-year term.

Joseph Zweig is the only candidate for the one-year unexpired term on the Kittatinny board.

For the Hampton Township BOE, the candidates for three, three-year terms are Joseph A. Santora Jr., Anna Hackelberg and Susan Marie Knoll.

Hardyston Township elections

Frank Cicerale and Brian Kaminski are the two Republican candidates for the two, three-year terms on the Township Council.

In the race for one, three-year term on the Wallkill Regional BOE the candidates are Zachery Dora, Jacqueline Elmo, Brian Tobachnick and Michael T. Davina.

There are seven candidates for three, three-year terms on the Hardyston Township BOE. The candidates by ballot position are Nicholas Demsak, Brian Drelick - both running under the same banner; Savas G. Savidis, Ana Bertoni DeOliveira and Renee M. Maupai, all running under their own banner; and Susan Lucarelli and Lorraine Menonna, running together as a third team.

Hopatcong Borough elections

Marie Galate is running unopposed for another four-year term as mayor in Hopatcong with Jennifer Johnson and Rachel Rodriquez running unopposed for the two, three-year terms on the Borough Council. All are Republicans.

There are four candidates vying for three open three-year terms on the borough's school board.

The four are Joseph Falconi, Jayson Cittrich and, running under one banner, James Chaffee Jr. and Natalia Cappello.

There was no petition filed for the one-year unexpired term on the school board so a write-in candidate could be chosen.

Lafayette Township elections

Alan R. Henderson and Lisa Carlson are the two candidates for two, three-year terms on the Township Committee.

There is a race, however, among candidates Joshua Aikens, William Dianella and Deborah A. Fagan, running under the same banner; and Perry S. Williams. There are three openings for three-year terms.

Montague Township elections

Republicans Fred Merusi and George Zitone are running unopposed for the two, three-year terms on the Township Committee.

There are no school board elections in Montague this year.

Newton elections

The town holds its municipal elections in even-numbered years.

However, Lisa Qarmout, Julie A. Fahy and Stella Dunn are running unopposed for the three, three-year terms on the Newton Board of Education.

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Ogdensburg Borough elections

Steven Ciasullo and Alfonse A. DeMeo are the candidates for two, three-year terms on the Common Council.

And, in the race for three, three-year terms on the borough school board, the candidates are Toni Corban, Stacy Walsh and Lazaro Menendez.

Sandyston Township elections

George B. Harper Jr., is seeking the one three-year term for the Township Committee.

Robert E. Greene is seeking the one, three-year term as the township's representative to the Kittatinny Regional High School BOE.

There are two, three-year terms available for the Sandyston-Walpack BOE with Robert Eulo, Jo-Ann A. Williamson and Colleen D. Hewitt as the candidates.

Sparta Township elections

Chad Wood, Jennifer Grana and Kaitlin Gagnon are running as one of two teams for three, three-year terms on the Sparta Township BOE, along with the trio of incumbent Christina Keiling, Dana Dumpert and Robert Meara. LeeAnne Pitzer, another incumbent, and former board member Niamh Grano are running individually to round out the field of eight candidates.

Stanhope Borough elections

Democrat Anthony J. Riccardi and Republican Thomas J. Romano are seeking the two, three-year term seats on the Borough Council.

Sherry Fehir is seeking the one, three-year term on the Lenape Valley Regional High School BOE.

Carmen A. Pico, Avery Quayle-Badolato and Mattia Scharfstein are seeking election to the Stanhope Borough BOE where there are two, three-year terms available.

Stillwater Township elections

Lisa Chammings is the lone candidate for the three-year term available on the Township Committee.

And, for the three, three-year terms on the Stillwater Township BOE, the candidates are Krista Galante, Dennis DeGroat and Amy Valeich.

Sussex Borough elections

Robert Holowach is the sole candidate for a four-year term as mayor.

Democrat Emily Downs and Republicans Nicholas Southard and Martin Kokoruda are in the race for two, three-year terms on the Borough Council.

No candidates filed for the lone, three-year term to the High Point Regional High School BOE seat, so write-in votes could determine the winner.

Vernon elections

The election in Vernon this year includes a public question on whether the township will provide a Length of Service Award Program for volunteer fire and emergency medical service members. Such a program awards "points" to volunteers to the fire and EMS departments based on their participation is calls, drills and other department functions. Those points can then earn up to $1,150 per year toward a retirement plan.

For local government, there is also a race for mayor, separate races for township council and school board.

Anthony Rossi, Sally Rinker and Harry J. Shortway are each seeking election to a four-year term as mayor.

Candidates for two four-year terms on the Township Council include Margaret "Peg" Distasi and William J. Higgins and Bradley D. Sparta running as a team.

There is also a race among Jessica DeBenedetto, Daniel J. Storey and Mark Heftler for a two-year unexpired term on the council.

There is also an election for three, three-year terms on the township board of education. Candidates are Carl Contino, charles Cimaglia, Elaine Colianni and Adina Hope.

And, Veronica Castner is the only candidate for a one-year unexpired term on the Board of Education.

Walpack Township elections

Victor J. Maglio is running unopposed for a three-year term on the Township Committee, while there is no listed candidate for the two-year unexpired term on the committee.

Also, no candidate filed for a three-year term on the Sandyston-Walpack BOE.

Wantage Township elections

Justin VanderGroef is the only candidate listed on the ballot for a three-year term on the Township Committee.

However, there are seven candidates, running under three banners for three-year terms on the Sussex-Wantage Regional BOE.

The candidates on one team are Deborah Jenkins Braconi, Trevor McPherson and Stephanie McPherson, while a second team includes Caitlin Space, Stevie Vallone and Nicholas D;Agostino.

Daniel "Danny" Van Tassel is the seventh candidate.

Wayne Dunn is the lone candidate for the three-year term on the High Point Regional High School BOE.

This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Election Day 2023 in Sussex County NJ: What to know