TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON — Mayor Peter Calamari won a third term and his Republican running mates, Thomas J. Sears and Daisy N. Velez, retained the two available Township Council seats in one of the most spirited local races of the season.
According to unofficial results from the Bergen County Clerk’s Office, Calamari received 2,432 votes (52.6%), defeating Democrat Meghan Stamatopoulos (1,356, 29.3%) and Independent Michael DeSena (830, 18.0%).
On the council side, Velez led with 2,768 votes (42.2%), followed by Sears with 2,651 (40.5%), and Independent Desserie Morgan with 1,091 (16.6%). Total votes cast: 4,621.
Calamari, a lifelong township resident and IT consultant, ran on a message of stability, experience, and “keeping Washington Township’s small-town character.” His ticket emphasized community services, infrastructure upgrades, and stormwater improvements.
In a Nov. 5 social-media post, the mayor and his running mates thanked residents “for your trust and support,” writing, “Serving this community is a privilege, and we’re excited to continue working together to keep Washington Township strong and thriving.”
Challengers strike gracious notes
Following the election, both challengers publicly congratulated the winning ticket.
Independent Desserie Morgan, who ran alongside Michael DeSena, thanked supporters “for a campaign rooted in honesty, hard work, and genuine love for Washington Township,” adding that “when one of us succeeds, the entire township benefits.”
Democrat Meghan Stamatopoulos likewise offered her congratulations to Calamari, Sears, and Velez and praised the lively turnout, noting that “over 4,500 people cast a ballot for mayor — which might be a record.” She said she was proud of “the wave of Democrats in town who, despite feeling outnumbered, showed up,” calling the effort “the beginning of an earnest movement … to ensure our government works for everybody in town, and not just those who align with the right team.”
Rivalry renewed
The 2025 contest marked the second matchup between Calamari and Councilman Michael DeSena, who nearly unseated the mayor four years ago. In 2021, Calamari defeated DeSena by just 49 votes — 1,846 to 1,797 — in one of the closest mayoral races in township history, with turnout exceeding 52 percent.
Since then, relations on the dais have often been tense. DeSena, along with allies Steven Cascio and Michael Ullman, has served in a council majority frequently at odds with the mayor. Their bloc campaigned in 2021 on cutting the municipal budget by 10 percent — a pledge Calamari repeatedly invoked this year, saying the promise had gone unfulfilled.
DeSena countered that the administration had obstructed reform efforts. His then-“Time for Change” slate, running as an Independent with Morgan, sought to reclaim that mantle of fiscal discipline while calling for greater transparency and resident engagement.
Campaign flashpoints
Much of the campaign centered on the mayor’s leadership style and how township priorities were communicated and executed.
- Budget pledge: Calamari pressed the 2021 promise by DeSena, Cascio, and Ullman to cut the municipal budget by 10 percent, arguing that the effort had stalled. DeSena and Morgan blamed administrative interference and shifting parameters after budgets were finalized.
- DPW siting: Morgan said she supported rebuilding the Department of Public Works on its original Town Hall site but criticized what she described as Calamari’s “habit of disrupting residential pockets under the guise of temporary solutions that are rarely, if ever, temporary.” Calamari defended the town’s approach as practical and environmentally compliant.
- Social-media dispute: Late in the campaign, Morgan accused the Calamari–Sears–Velez team of using a screenshot from a personal video from her Facebook page in an attack ad, calling it “cruel” and “beneath anyone who claims to want to serve this community.” The Calamari campaign did not respond publicly before Election Day.
Issues and turnout
Key township issues raised in our 2025 Election Guide included deer management, the former Swim Club property cleanup, and the 450 Pascack Road open-space acquisition.
Calamari’s slate called for continued coordination with neighboring towns and adherence to state wildlife guidance; Stamatopoulos advocated public education and humane controls; and DeSena and Morgan promoted a data-driven regional approach incorporating non-lethal fertility options.
All candidates backed continued environmental remediation at the former swim club property, differing mainly on communication and reuse plans.
Roughly 4,048 residents cast ballots in the mayoral race — about 61 percent turnout, among the highest in Bergen County.
Results remain unofficial until all timely, qualified, and eligible votes are counted and the election is certified on Nov. 19. County boards of election have until Nov. 10 to receive postmarked mail-in ballots, and voters have until Nov. 15 to correct a signature or envelope issue. The Board of State Canvassers is scheduled to certify official results on Dec. 4.