PASCACK VALLEY —Thousands of Pascack Valley voters will be eligible to vote in June 7’s Democratic and Republican primary elections, although few competitive contests occur in Pascack Valley’s eight communities.
Both Democratic and Republican voters will be voting on slates of party candidates to run against the opposing party in the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Unaffiliated or independent voters do not vote in a primary unless they declare a party affiliation prior to the primary election.
However, primaries generally draw fewer voters than even General Election off-year elections such as an election without a presidential or gubernatorial contest to draw wide voter interest.
In the Pascack Valley, Woodcliff Lake offers five candidates vying for two open seats on Borough Council. The primary election features three Democrats competing against each other for the two open council seats, including Nicole Marsh, Benjamin Pollock and Craig Marson, a former councilman.
On the Republican side, running uncontested for the two seats are Joshua Stern and Brian DeStefano.
The two open seats will be from Republican Steven Falanga, who served on the Finance & Audit, Parks and Recreation, Legal and Personnel, and Planning Board committees; and Democrat Angela Hayes, who served on the library and shade tree committees, and as liaison for the high school.
Meanwhile, there are four Republican candidates looking to oppose the incumbent Democrat for Bergen County Executive.
Running unopposed in the Democratic primary for County Executive is incumbent James J. Tedesco III. He will face off against the winner of the contest between Republicans Linda T. Barba and Todd Caliguire.
Running unopposed in the Democratic primary for Bergen County Commissioners are Vice Chairman Thomas Sullivan, Montvale, Mary Amoroso, Mahwah, and Germaine Ortiz, Emerson.
However, two slates of Republican commissioner candidates oppose each other to challenge Democrats in the primary.
Republican voters will choose between Paul A. Duggan, Angelique R. Hakim, and Mary G. Guinchard, versus Republicans Douglas Holden, Ronald Joseph Lin, and Dierdre G. Paul. The winning candidates will face off in the General Election on Nov. 8.
Running unopposed in the Democratic primary for the Fifth Congressional District is Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer, who faces off against the winner of the Republican primary among candidates Frank Pallotta, Nick DeGregorio, Fred Schneiderman, and Sab Skendari.
In Emerson, three incumbents are running again for their party’s nomination: Republican Mayor Danielle DiPaola, and councilwomen Jill McGuire and Nicole Argenzia. Their terms expire December 2022.
The three Democratic candidates, running on the Democratic Candidates for Bergen County line, include Jeanine Lamatina, running for mayor, and running mates Jose Organ and Richard Dinallo. Lamatina is the wife of former Emerson mayor Louis Lamatina.
In Park Ridge, the two open seats are being sought by two Republican and two Democratic candidates, who filed for the primary.
Incumbent Democrats Robert C. Metzdorf, council president, and councilwoman Kelly Epstein filed to run again in the Democratic primary. On the Republican side, newcomer Bruce Goldsmith and incumbent councilman William R. Fenwick, are running under “Republicans For Responsible Government,” the party line.
In Westwood, two seats are up for grabs and Republican incumbents Robert Bicocchi and Council President Beth Dell are seeking the uncontested Republican nod; Democrat Lesley Whyard has filed as well.
In River Vale, two-term Mayor Glen Jasionowski, a Republican, is not running for a third term. Filing to run for mayor for the Republican ticket is councilman Mark Bromberg, who has served eight years as council president.
Also, two council seats will be open, and newcomer Republican James Tolomeo is running unopposed for Republicans, while incumbent Democratic councilwoman Denise Sieg is the lone Democrat filing to run.
In Hillsdale and Montvale the primary elections have no Democrats in the running while mostly Republican incumbents have filed for open seats.
In Montvale, incumbent Republicans Timothy E. Lane and Christopher Roche have filed for the two open terms, while Republican Theresa A. Cudequest has filed for a one-year unexpired term.
In Hillsdale, Republican councilman Frank Pizzella did not file for reelection. Republican Council President Janetta Trochimiuk and Republican newcomer Justin P. Fox filed for the two open seats.
No mayor or council seats were open in the Township of Washington.
Early voting for the June 7 Democratic and Republican Primary Election will run from June 3 to June 5, with more details to come from county election officials. Early voting for the Nov. 8 General Election runs Oct. 30–Nov. 5.
Also, voters registered to vote-by-mail should have already received their ballots — the last date to register was May 31 — and may drop off their ballots at any one of 32 drop-box locations countywide.
All information regarding deadlines for election-related timelines and municipal sample ballots can be found online under Elections & Voting on the Bergen County Clerk’s Office website. Voters should have received sample ballots prior to Primary Election day June 7.
League of Women Voters of New Jersey has the 411
Meanwhile, VOTE411.org, a one-stop-shop for election related information, provides nonpartisan information to the public with both general and state-specific information on the election process.
Find out what will appear on the ballot, learn the candidates’ positions, and identify your polling location.
To learn about candidate debates and forums taking place in your municipality, including events moderated by the League of Women Voters, check regularly for updates.
For additional information about the June primary, visit the League of Women Voters of New Jersey at lwvnj.org/vote and VOTE411.org.
The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley services 29 municipalities in Bergen County. These municipalities include: Alpine, Bergenfield, Cliffside Park, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, Edgewater, Emerson, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fort Lee, Hackensack, Harrington Park, Haworth, Hillsdale, Leonia, Montvale, New Milford, Northvale, Norwood, Old Tappan, Park Ridge, River Vale, Rockleigh, Tenafly, Washington Township, Westwood, and Woodcliff Lake.
The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley was founded in 1946 as the League of Women Voters of Closter. By 1964, it included 11 municipalities in the Northern Valley and was renamed the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley. Today, the chapter serves 29 municipalities.