PASCACK VALLEY—Registered voters in the Democratic and Republican parties have important choices to be made in the June 4 Primary Election, selecting their party’s candidates for major offices, including the U.S. Senate, and the Fifth and Ninth Congressional districts.
While Pascack Valley’s eight local primary races feature a lack of challengers, thousands of registered voters in both parties have choices for candidates competing to run for one open seat for U.S. Senate, now occupied by indicted U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, a Democrat.
Mail-in ballots for the June 4 primary started being mailed out in mid-April by the Bergen County Clerk’s Office, and sample ballots for early voting should be in voters’ hands before early voting runs, May 29–June 2, county elections officials tell Pascack Press.
A primary election generally offers voters of both parties, registered Democrats and registered Republicans, a chance to choose among their party’s candidates who are seeking federal, state, county, and local government seats.
The candidates selected by registered Democrats and registered Republicans will oppose each other in the General Election, which is a presidential election this Nov. 5.
At this point, with dozens of states already having held primaries, the presidential primary contest appears to have morphed into a rematch between incumbent Democratic President Joseph R. Biden and former Republican President Donald J. Trump, barring any unexpected developments.
Trump is the only candidate on the Republican presidential primary ballot, while Biden competes against two little-known opponents, Terrisa Bukovinac, with no slogan, and “Uncommitted Delegates,” whose slogan is “Justice for Palestine, Permanent Ceasefire Now.”
Registered Democrats will vote using the new Democratic block office-style ballot, which will show the three Democrats who oppose each other in a single block. It will also show other candidates in similar block office format. The Republican Primary ballot remains unchanged.
One candidate for the U.S. Senate seat is Andy Kim, a Democratic representative from the state’s Third Congressional District. Kim’s recent successful lawsuit against the traditional “county line” ballot has enabled a new block office ballot format to be used for this year’s Democratic primary election.
The new format aims to eliminate the power of the so-called “county line” which was said to favor candidates picked by political party county bosses and party insiders. Kim is considered the favorite for the nomination since former Democratic challenger Tammy Murphy, Gov. Phil Murphy’s wife dropped out of the race.
Kim tops the block office ballot format. His two opponents for the seat include: Lawrence Hamm, running under the slogan, “People’s Needs First,” and Patricia Campos-Medina, running under a “Progressive Democrat” slogan.
Competing on the Republican side for the U.S. Senate seat nomination are: Christine Serrano Glasser, under “Republicans for Responsible Government,”; Justin Murphy, under “American Conservative Republican,”; Albert Harshaw, under “For the People,”; and Curtis Bashaw, under “Bergen County Regular Republican.”
Local races preview November ballot
The eight local council races in Pascack Valley’s June 4 Primary Election are all uncontested, with five races featuring unopposed Democratic and Republican candidates, two towns fielding no Democratic challengers, and the Township of Washington with no local races at all.
However, take note that the Republican and Democratic party candidates running unopposed for their party’s nomination will all oppose each other in the general election, Nov. 5.
In Emerson, two council seats are open and two uncontested candidates are running in each party. Democratic newcomers Richard Dinallo and Kate Stutzel are candidates for the two seats and will likely oppose incumbents Brian Gordon and Kellyanne Totaro Moore in the general election.
In Hillsdale, two incumbent Republicans are running for reelection to the two seats they hold. They include incumbents John Escobar and Abby Lundy. Running to oppose them in November’s general election are two Democrats running unopposed for the two seats, Christopher C. Camp and Melissa Mazza Chong.
In Park Ridge, two open council seats are up for grabs on Nov. 5. Running uncontested for the Democratic nomination for the two seats are Democratic incumbent John P. Ferguson, and Democratic newcomer Jason P. Destro. Both are running under the slogan, “Democratic Committee of Bergen County.”
Running unopposed for the Republican nomination for the seats are former Republican councilmen John R. Cozzi and William Fenwick. Both are running under the slogan, “Republicans for Responsible Government.”
Most Democratic and Republican candidates in the primary are running under their party’s slogans. For Democrats, the slogan is “Democratic Committee of Bergen County” and for Republicans, the slogan is “Republicans for Responsible Government.”
In Westwood, the uncontested primary election features two open seats. Republican incumbents Cheryl L Hodges and Anthony J. Greco are running unopposed for the nomination. Two Democratic challengers, Kristian S. Ramussen, and Lisa Bontemps, are running unopposed for their party’s nomination.
In Woodcliff Lake, the unopposed Democratic candidates for two open seats include incumbent Jennifer R. Margolis and newcomer Brian J. Magrogan. Longtime councilwoman Jacqueline Gadaleta is not listed as a candidate.
The two Republican candidates running unopposed include Morgan Mazor and Christopher Bonanno.
In both Montvale and River Vale, not only are the Republican council candidates for the open council seats running unopposed for their party’s nomination, they also are unchallenged by Democrats for the seats in November. No candidate petitions had been filed by Democrats in either town.
In Montvale, running uncontested in the primary and general elections for two open seats are incumbent Republicans Anne Marie Russo-Vogelsang and Dieter K. Koelling.
In River Vale, running uncontested for three council seats are Republican incumbents Ari Ben-Yishay, Paul Criscuolo, and John P. Donovan.
In Township of Washington, no council offices are on the ballot this year.
Fifth, Ninth Congressional District Challenges
Other contested primary contests include two Republican challengers and two Democratic candidates seeking their party’s nomination for one seat in the Ninth Congressional District. Longtime incumbent Democrat Bill Pascrell Jr. competes with Mohamed T. Khairullah for the Democratic nomination.
For the Republicans, candidates Billy Prempeh and Hector L. Castillo, compete for the party’s nomination. Castillo’s slogan is “America First Republicans.”
Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer runs unopposed for nomination in the Fifth Congressional District, while two Republican challengers, Mary Jo Guinchard and George J. Song, seek their party’s nomination to oppose him.
Running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for Bergen County Sheriff is Anthony Cureton, and for the two open Bergen County Board of Commissioners seats are Democratic incumbents Steven A. Tanelli and Tracy S. Zur.
Also running unopposed on the Republican primary ballot is Robert J. Kugler for Bergen County Sheriff. Also unopposed for the party’s nomination for two open Commissioners’ seats are Republicans Dave Plotkin and Michael Joseph.
The primary candidates listed in this article are from an “Unofficial Bergen 2024 Primary Candidate List” posted on the County Clerk’s website. “This list is unofficial and subject to change,” states a note posted above the document.