Election Day 2025 In Toms River: Who's On The Ballot, Where To Vote

TOMS RIVER, NJ ? Election Day 2025 is upon us, and voters who have not cast ballots yet will be headed to the polls on Tuesday. In Toms River, residents will be casting ballots for the township council, school board and more.

The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Polling locations can be found here or through a search on the NJ Division of Elections website.

Here's what you need to know:

Election Day Essentials

• Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 4
• Find ballot drop box locations
• Track your mail-in ballot
• Find your polling place

Toms River Township Elections

Toms River Township Council Wards

The election season has been heated since the beginning of the year because of opposition to actions taken by Mayor Daniel Rodrick comes down to the votes in the four council wards.

It has been a vitriolic campaign, with those who oppose Rodrick's policies urging voters to choose them to break Rodrick's control of the council. That partially happened during the June Republican primary, when three members of Rodrick's slate ? Justin Lamb, William Byrne, and Anthony Matarazzo ? were defeated, removing three of his council votes.

The Republicans who won those three primaries ? Robert Bianchini, Clinton Bradley and David Ciccozzi ? are aligned with a group that opposes a number of actions taken by Rodrick and his administration.

Ciccozzi, a current councilman, has been vocal in his opposition during council meetings along with Jim Quinlisk and Tom Nivison. Quinlisk lost in the Ward 3 primary to Rodrick's candidate, Harry Aber, but is running a write-in campaign hoping to defeat him in the general election. Nivison, who was part of Rodrick's slate in 2023 when Rodrick was elected mayor, was not up for election this year but has been targeted in campaign mailers because he has aligned with Quinlisk and Ciccozzi.

If Bianchini, Bradley, Quinlisk and Ciccozzi win, it will give them the ability to block some of the actions Rodrick tries to take going forward.

As a result, there has been heavy campaigning to support the Democratic candidates opposing Bianchini, Bradley and Ciccozzi.

Mailers sent last week claiming to be from Republican voters claiming the three Republicans want to eliminate zoning for houses of worship and prominently featuring both former mayor Maurice Hill and Booky Kaluszyner, a member of the Toms River Jewish Community Council and an Orthodox Jew, with Kaluszyner dressed in religious garb, claiming both men had endorsed the trio. The Democratic candidates blasted the mailers as antiSemitic.

Flyers circulating in Toms River and aimed at members of the Jewish community have endorsed the Democrats in those three wards.

Ward by ward, here are the races. Candidates' questionnaires are included in each ward.

In Ward 1, Bianchini is facing Democrat Anthony Colucci. Bianchini is the former public works director in Asbury Park. Colucci is the president of the Ortley Beach Voters and Taxpayers Association.

• Toms River Township Council Ward 1 Election: Robert Bianchini
• Toms River Township Council Ward 1 Election: Anthony Colucci

In Ward 2, Bradley is facing Democrat Susan Payne Gato. Bradley is a newcomer. Gato initially ran for the Ward 2 seat in 2024 but withdrew from the race and was replaced by Zach Dougherty.

• Toms River Township Council Ward 2 Election 2025: Susan Payne Gato
• Toms River Township Council Ward 2 Election 2025: Clinton Bradley

In Ward 3, Aber is alone on the ballot as there is no Democratic nominee. Quinlisk is running a write-in campaign to win his seat after losing in the June primary. Write-in results are not typically available until the results are certified. No candidate questionnaire was submitted for Aber.

• Toms River Township Council Ward 3 Election: Jim Quinlisk

In Ward 4, Ciccozzi is facing Democrat Justin Moran. Ciccozzi won a three-way primary in June. Also challenging for the seat is Democrat Paul Williams, who lost in the June primary but is running a write-in campaign.

• Toms River Township Council Ward 4 Election: David Ciccozzi
• Toms River Township Council Ward 4 Election: Justin Moran
• Toms River Township Council Ward 4 Election: Paul C. Williams

Toms River Regional Board of Education

Three candidates are seeking the lone three-year seat representing Toms River: Kathy Eagan, Josef Pentz, and George Lobman.

Eagan, the former president of the Toms River Education Association, is seeking her third term on the school board and has been heavily supported in the campaign by both Republican clubs in Toms River and by the NJEA.

Lobman served less than a year on the Toms River Township Council in the seat vacated by Daniel Rodrick when Rodrick became mayor. His campaign for the school board has been supported by Rodrick allies. Lobman is running on the slogan Stop Tax Hikes.

Pentz is a newcomer who has not campaigned much at all for the seat.

It has been a bitter campaign.

Eagan challenged Lobman's candidate petition in court but ended up withdrawing her challenge during a court hearing on Sept. 4.

Eagan has been attacked in campaign mailings over the district's 22.9 percent increase in school taxes over the last two years as the district has been fighting with the state over funding cuts. Mailings also have blamed her for a proposed new contract for Superintendent Michael Citta that would have increased his salary by about $80,000 over five years, including nearly $50,000 in 2025-26. That contract proposal was slated for a vote in early October but a special meeting to discuss it was canceled and it was not addressed at the school board meeting a week later.

Who?s on the ballot in Ocean County?

Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Vote for 1

• Jack Ciattarelli and James Gannon (Republican)
• Mikie Sherrill and Dale G. Caldwell (Democrat)
• Joanne S. Kuniansky and Craig Honts (Socialist Workers Party)
• Vic Kaplan and Bruno Pereira (Libertarian Party)

General Assembly 10th Legislative District
Vote for 2

• Gregory McGuckin (Republican)
• Paul Kanitra (Republican)
• Gigi Esparza (Democrat)
• Janine G. Bauer (Democrat)

Ocean County Sheriff
Vote for 1

• Michael Mastronardy (Republican)
• Regina C. Discenza (Democrat)

Ocean County Clerk
Vote for 1

• John P. "Jack" Kelly (Republican)
• Samuel Pinkava (Democrat)

Ocean County Board of County Commissioners
Vote for 2

• Ray Gormley (Republican)
• Sam Ellenbogen (Republican)
• Arthur Halloran (Democrat)
• Brandon A. Rose (Democrat)