When Bayonne voters go the polls on Nov. 4, they will be electing candidates to positions as United States Senator, U.S. Representative, County Surrogate, and County Freeholder.
In the marquee event, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat, seeks to fend off a challenge to his seat by Jeff Bell, the Republican candidate. Booker wants to return to the post he won last year in a special election.
While Booker has been ahead in the polls the whole way, he has not lead the race by as large a margin as many expected, encountering a stronger-than-expected Bell, who has fewer resources.
Minor candidates Eugene Martin Lavergne, Jeff Boss, Joseph Baratelli, Antonio Sabas, and Hank Schroeder round out the senatorial field.
Residents will also elect a member to the U.S. House of Representatives.
In Bayonne’s 8th Congressional District, the major party choices are incumbent Albio Sires on the Democratic side and Jude Anthony Tiscornia for the Republicans. Minor party candidates are Herbert Shaw, Robert Thorne, and Pablo Olivera.
In Bayonne’s 10th Congressional District, the major party candidates are Republican Yolanda Dentley and incumbent Donald Payne Jr., the Democrat. Minor party choices are Dark Angel and Gwendolyn Franklin.
The two other posts up for grabs this year are County Surrogate and County Freeholder.
Longtime County Surrogate Don De Leo, who did not run, will likely be replaced by either Republican Dipika Majmudar or Democrat Joseph Ryglicki. The County Surrogate is Hudson County’s top executive regarding wills and the settlement of estates.
In the battle for the County Freeholder 1st District seat, which includes all of Bayonne and part of Jersey City, Independent Michael Alonso will face off against Hudson County Democratic Organization-backed Kenneth Kopacz. Alonso is a Realtor; Kopacz is a Bayonne grammar school principal. No nomination was made for the Republican Party in this race.
Ballot questions
Also on the ballot will be four referenda, including two that pertain directly to Bayonne.
One allows for city residents to vote on whether they want to stick to the current system of mayoral appointments to the Bayonne Board of Education, or whether they want to go back to an elected board, which existed until the 1970s.
The other measure is whether the city should switch back to rent control in Bayonne as it existed until a few years ago, or to keep the more recent vacancy decontrol, which allows landlords to increase rents to rent-controlled apartments when residents move out.
E-mail joepass@hudsonreporter.com.