Voters in Secaucus will go to the polls this week to determine the outcome of one of the most interesting local elections in years.
A slate of renegade Democrats tried to overthrow the incumbent Democratic ticket, but was unsuccessful in its attempt. Two longtime political rivals prepared to square off in a much-anticipated campaign for mayor. Then the incumbent mayor, Dennis Elwell, was arrested in July on corruption charges and resigned from office.
Elwell had been gearing up for a race against Councilman Michael Gonnelli.
Now Gonnelli is running for they mayor’s seat unopposed. With only one
candidate remaining in the mayoral race, attention has shifted to the race
for Town Council.
However, Gonnelli’s slate of three Independent council candidates is still facing a ticket of Elwell-allied Democrats to win seats on the seven-member Town Council.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Voters will select a council person for their ward, Secaucus has three wards, and elect the new mayor. The winners will be sworn in to office on Jan. 1, 2010 and will each serve a four-year term on the Secaucus Town Council.
Voters can also choose a new governor (see related story inside).
The contenders
On the Democratic side for council, Councilwoman Dawn McAdam is running for re-election in the 1st Ward. Frank Trombetta, currently a member of the Secaucus School Board, is running for the 2nd Ward council seat. Sixteen-year incumbent John Reilly is seeking re-election in the 3rd Ward.
Gonnelli is heading up a slate of candidates who hope to defeat the Democrats and give Gonnelli a majority vote on the council. Robert Costantino is running for the 1st Ward council seat. Longtime Councilman John Bueckner is running for reelection in the 2nd Ward. Finally, William McKeever hopes to unseat Reilly in the 3rd Ward.
Get out the vote
Last week, the two campaigns vowed to work through Election Day to lure their supporters to the polls.
“Like everybody else, we’re leaving no stone unturned,” said Assemblyman Vincent Prieto (D-32nd Dist.), who is chairman of the Secaucus Democratic Committee. “We’ve run a positive, grassroots campaign. We feel we’re in a good position and we’ll be knocking on doors through the weekend and beyond to get our people to the polls.”
The Secaucus Democratic Committee was scheduled to hold a pre-election rally on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at La Reggia to energize its base.
The Independents planned their own Get Out the Vote effort in the days leading up to the election, starting with a pre-election rally Thursday, Oct. 29 at La Quinta.
Dan Amico, nephew of former mayor Paul Amico, who has been working behind the scenes as a campaign manager for the Independents, said campaigning continues unabated. The Independents have sent out numerous mailers since the campaign began, including two within the last week.
Both sides vowed to call voters on Nov. 3 and offered to give rides to supporters who needed them.
To learn more about the candidates, check out the Secaucus debate that was held in the Reporter offices. The debate can be found online at www.hudsonreporter.com.
Prieto and Assemblywoman Joan Quigley (D-32nd Dist.) are also up for reelection Tuesday.
Neither candidate has Republican opposition.