The Hudson County Clerk’s Office selected the ballot position for eight Jersey City Board of Education candidates that are seeking three-year terms on the board during yesterday’s ballot drawing.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Landing the top spot on the ballot is Tara Stafford, a first time candidate running under the slogan “Passionate Dedicated Caring.”
From there, the following three spots will be occupied by the “Change for Children” members Noemi Velazquez, Alexander Hamilton and Asheenia Johnson.
The subsequent three ballot places will then be occupied by two incumbents and a one newcomer running as part of the “Education Matters,” typically the slogan of the slate backed by the Jersey City Education Association, team.
Board President Sudhan Thomas, Trustee Gerald Lyons and Darwin Ona, a local police officer and a member of the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency board, will occupy slots five, six and seven on the ballot, respectively.
Finally, Neisha Louhar, another candidate running for the first time, rounds out the possibilities for who voters can select to three, three-year terms on the Jersey City BOE on November 5th.
Hamilton was originally disqualified from the ballot since his birth name is Vernon Alexander Hamilton, but Assignment Judge Peter Bariso ruled on Friday that he had no issues with him using his middle name and allowed him to participate in the race, as HCV first reported.
Furthermore, Bariso ruled in favor of the Change for Children team in a second matter where he allowed Trustee Matt Schapiro’s vacant board seat to also appear on the November 5th ballot, meaning voters will chose two trustees to serve one-year terms instead of just one trustee.
Currently, Change for Children candidates Anthony Sharperson and David Czehut are seeking one-year terms, while Gina Verdibello is running as part of the Education Matters team.
In hopes of keeping the election as fair as possible, Bariso reopened the petition submission window for candidates seeking a one-year term until September 3rd and a separate ballot drawing will be held at a date to be determined.