2021 Primary Election In The Caldwells: When, Where To Vote

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The 2021 New Jersey Primary Election is set for Tuesday, June 8, and although voting will primarily take place in-person, there are still several options to make sure your ballot is counted in Caldwell, North Caldwell and West Caldwell (see candidate list below).

In our area that includes voting at a polling location, using a secure drop box, mailing your ballot back or hand-delivering it to your local board of elections.

“We want to be sure voters know the resources available to them as well as the key deadlines ahead of the upcoming elections,” New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way said. “From information on how to vote in person, where to find secure ballot drop box locations or how to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot, we’re making it as easy as possible for voters to exercise their right to participate in this important process.”

The Rundown

• Election date: June 8
• Check if you are registered to vote.
• Where can I drop off my ballot?
• Track my mail-in ballot.
• Where can I vote in person?

What And Who Are On The Ballot?

Local/Municipal Races

Caldwell, North Caldwell and West Caldwell will each hold a primary election for their town councils.

Candidates include:

CALDWELL (two seats)

• Francis X. Rodgers III (Democratic Party)
• Christine Schmidt (Democratic Party)
• No candidates filed for Republican Party nomination

NORTH CALDWELL (two seats)

• Francis X. Astorino (Republican Party)
• Robert C. Kessler Jr. (Republican Party)
• No candidates filed for Democratic Party nomination

WEST CALDWELL (two seats)

• Stanley W. Hladik (Republican Party)
• Michael Crudele (Republican Party)
• Jessica Almeida (Democratic Party)
• Christy Lazarow (Democratic Party)

Essex County Sheriff Race

Primary election voters in Essex County, including the Caldwells, will pick candidates for Essex County sheriff. Voters will choose who will represent their political party in the 2021 general election on Nov. 2.

Candidates for Essex County sheriff include:

• Armando Fontoura (incumbent, Democratic Party)
• John Arnold Jr. (Democratic Party)
• Barry Jackson (Democratic Party)
• Nicholas Pansini (Republican Party)
• Maureen Edelson (Republican Party)

NJ Assembly Race

The Caldwells will also choose candidates for the New Jersey State Assembly.

Caldwell is part of the 27th state legislative district. Primary election candidates in the 27th district include:

SENATE (one seat)

• Richard Codey (incumbent, Democratic Party)
• Adam Kraemer (Republican Party)

ASSEMBLY (two seats)

• Mila Jasey (incumbent, Democratic Party)
• John McKeon (incumbent, Democratic Party)
• Kevin Ryan (Republican Party)
• Jonathan Sym (Republican Party)

North Caldwell and West Caldwell are part of the 26th state legislative district. Primary election candidates include:

SENATE (one seat)

• Joseph Pennacchio (incumbent, Republican Party)
• Christine Clarke (Democratic Party)

ASSEMBLY (two seats)

• BettyLou DeCroce (incumbent, Republican Party)
• Jay Webber (incumbent, Republican Party)
• Christian Barranco (Republican Party)
• Thomas Mastrangelo (Republican Party)
• Melissa Brown Blaeuer (Democratic Party)
• Pamela Fadden (Democratic Party)

Gubernatorial Race

Current Governor Phil Murphy is running unopposed for the nomination of the Democratic Party.

Here's who is on the Republican ballot:

• Jack Ciattarelli, a former 16th Legislative District Assemblyman from 2011 to 2018 and Hillsborough resident. He previously ran for governor in 2017, coming in second in the primaries behind then-Republican nominee Kim Guadagno. Ciattarelli's platform is centered on relaxing pandemic-related restrictions and reinvigorating the New Jersey economy in the wake of the health crisis. He's already gained backing from U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew as well as multiple county chairs (including those in Bergen, Atlantic, Somerset, Essex, Salem and more) and has pivoted his focus to attacking Murphy. Read more: NJ Gov Candidate Calls For Gathering Limit, Face Mask Lift By May

• Brian D. Levine, a former Somerset freeholder and Franklin Township mayor. He held the mayoral post for 10 years until 2014, when he then ran for freeholder. He lost his bid for a third term in 2020. According to NJ 101.5, he's self-described as fiscally conservative but not ideologically, maintaining that his occupational background as a CPA would benefit New Jersey's economic compass.

• Hirsh V. Singh, a perennial candidate who has announced bids to run for governor in 2017, the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 and the U.S. Senate in 2020. He is a businessman with a background in engineering who runs his family's security firm. Born in Atlantic City, Singh lives in Linwood and graduated from NJIT. He is trying to paint himself as the more pro-Trump Republican and Ciattarelli as too moderate.

• Philip Rizzo, a Harding Township resident, real estate developer and pastor of the conservative City Baptist church in North Bergen. He's an avowed supporter of former President Trump, takes a pro-life stance and has never run for political office.

Ciattarelli and Murphy are the only candidates to qualify for public funds, which caps candidates at spending $7.3 million during the primary election.

Where Can I Vote?

Registered voters can vote in person at their local polling place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 8.

Voters should know to:

• Find their current polling location using Vote.NJ.Gov’s polling location tool and decide whether they will vote in person or request a vote-by-mail ballot.

• Request a vote-by-mail ballot if they need or prefer to vote from home in the upcoming election. If a voter does not apply, they will not automatically receive a vote-by-mail ballot to participate. Any registered New Jersey voter can choose to request a vote-by-mail ballot using one of the following methods:

• Go to the Vote By Mail page on Vote.NJ.Gov to download and print an application for vote-by-mail ballot. Then, mail or deliver the completed application to the appropriate local County Clerk. To be sent a ballot by mail for the June 8 primary election, the application must be received by June 1.

• Apply in person at a voter’s local County Clerk by 3 p.m. on June 7 for the June 8 primary election. Find the contact details at Vote.NJ.Gov.

Returning a vote-by-mail ballot is once again as easy as VOTE, SIGN, SEAL, RETURN. Return options include:

• Mail: It must be postmarked on or before 8:00 p.m. on June 8 and received by June 14.

• Secure Ballot Drop Box: Place it in one of their county’s secure ballot drop boxes in use by 8 p.m. June 8 for the primary election. Drop box locations can be found at Vote.NJ.Gov.

• Board of Elections Office: Deliver in person to the county Board of Elections by 8:00 p.m. June 8 for the primary election.
• NOTE: Vote-by-mail ballots CANNOT be returned to polling places for this election.

For more details on the June 8 primary election, visit Vote.NJ.Gov.

This article contains reporting by Russ Crespolini, Patch staff

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