Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Election registration offices in Newark close at 9 p.m.
Tuesday, May 15, is your last chance to register to vote in the June 5 primary. If you would like to register, go to the Essex County Superintendent of Elections & County Commissioner of Registration & Commissioner of Registration's office at the Hall of Records in Newark, 465 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd., Room 429. Registration will be open until 9 p.m. In order to register, you will need to enter a driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number on the New Jersey Voter Registration form. In a rush? Save some time by downloading a copy of the New Jersey Voter Registration form, filling it out beforehand and taking it with you when you register. All U.S. citizens at least 18 years old by Primary Day, and not …
Thursday, May 10, 2012
About half approve of job president is doing
Our Republican governor gets good marks from the Garden State, but so does our Democratic president, according to the latest poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind. Barack Obama also has a solid lead over Mitt Romney in New Jersey, according to the poll — especially among women. Read the full statement from FDU below, then let us know what you think. According the latest poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind, 50 percent of New Jersey voters say they approve of the way the president is handling his job, while 42 percent disapprove. These numbers mirror the support expressed by New Jerseyans for their Republican governor, Chris Christie, as reported yesterday: 56 percent approve of the job Christie is doing, …
Monday, May 7, 2012
The Democratic 9th Congressional district crossed swords in a debate at Bergen Community College.
Toward the end of his debate with fellow Congressman and Democrat Steve Rothman, Bill Pascrell was asked to say something nice about his opponent in the race for New Jersey's 9th Congressional District. "I think he has been a loyal Democrat," Pascrell said. "When it suits his purpose." That's about as cordial as it got in a debate Monday at Bergen Community College, in which Rothman doggedly attacked Pascrell's record, while Pascrell continued to criticize Rothman for running against him instead of challenging Scott Garrett in the redrawn 5th District. Rothman came to the debate prepared to burnish his own credentials as a progressive and to tear down Pascrell's on issues like abortion, marriage equality, immigration, taxes and the …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Your application to vote by mail must be postmarked by May 1
In New Jersey, any voter can now vote by mail in ANY election—you do not need a reason to vote by mail. But you will need to complete the "Application for Vote by Mail Ballot" form and mail it to the Essex County Clerk's office—must be postmarked by May 1—in order to receive your ballot. Separate application forms must be filled out for each registered voter. Please keep in mind that the "Vote by Mail" form is only to APPLY to vote by mail. You must indicate where you want your ballot to be sent. The completed application form should be mailed to the address below: The Honorable Christopher J. Durkin P.O. Box 690 Newark, NJ 071 Once you have received your ballot, it must be returned to the Essex County Clerk's Office postmarked no later …
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Local officials say figures provided by the Essex County Clerk's office were based on a faulty Brookdale School ballot machine
Bloomfield officials released new BOE election results on Wednesday, saying the figures published by the Essex County Clerk’s office on Tuesday night were wrong. “The county had a problem,” said Bloomfield’s Deputy Municipal Clerk Bonita Triola on Wednesday afternoon. “One of the machines didn’t work. That’s why there’s a difference in the numbers.” This news may come as a shock to many, especially those who believed the tight race between incumbent board member Diana Fuller and newcomer Kent Weisert was decided by only four votes. According to figures published by the Essex County Clerk’s office on Tuesday, Weisert beat Fuller by 1,022 to 1,018 votes. However, new figures published by the Township of Bloomfield say Weisert won by 33 …
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
As last night's results prove, every vote really does count
As last night's Board of Education election results came in, BOE Vice President Shane Berger said, “It's a tight race for third place.” He wasn't kidding. The final tally was: Kent Weisert - 1,022; Diana Fuller - 1,018. Weisert won his seat on the board by just four votes. School Administrator Michael Derderian and Berger tabulated the totals as they came in Tuesday night but on Wednesday morning, both expressed surprise by how close the race proved to be. "Last night we had [Weisert] winning by 33," said an astonished Berger on Wednesday. "Maybe it was the provisionals." Derderian agreed. "Provisional votes are when someone shows up to cast a ballot but their name isn't on the list [at the polling place]," he told Patch. "The …
Monday, April 16, 2012
Dianna Fuller, seeking re-election in tomorrow's BOE election, responds to recent accusations regarding her campaign funding
Diana Fuller has served on the Bloomfield School board for three years. She is up for re-election Tuesday. At the April 3 Candidates Forum, Fuller became the subject of controversy when a member of the community asked about her recent $150-a-head fundraiser, allegedly sponsored by a Democratic councilman and, by extension, the Democratic party. Fuller denied the accusation, saying her cousin had hosted the event. Fuller’s cousin, Nicole Williams, is a Bloomfield resident who was appointed to the Parking Authority on April 2. In the week before the election, Patch sat down with Fuller and Williams at their home to discuss Fuller’s campaign and the controversy surrounding it. PATCH: You’re the only candidate who’s running alone; the …
Thursday, April 12, 2012
In a Patch Q & A, current board member Fuller discusses why she's running again for the Board of Education and what she plans to do for the district if re-elected.
PATCH: Why are you seeking re-election in the Board of Education? A desire to see academic excellence in the Bloomfield public school system led me to run for the Board of Education (Board) in 2009. When I initially ran for the Board, I ran on a platform where I was seeking to raise the profile of Bloomfield schools in the area of academic achievement and fiscal responsibility. As a member of the Board of Education, we hired a new and experienced superintendent who has implemented programs such as Renaissance Learning to improve student achievement. We consolidated positions to save costs and implemented a district wide energy savings project as a cost savings measure. I am excited by the direction our district has taken. I am …
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Lee Haberman, membership and marketing director at the Y, wrote the following to invite everyone to a carnival-like event April 28 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Verona Park.
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Wednesday, April 11
The YMCA of Montclair invites Blloomfield residents and the greater Montclair community to come out to Verona Park on April 28 to celebrate Healthy Kids Day. An event highlight will be seeing whether many people acan set a new world record for holding a one-minute plank! Previously, the record is about 500 people. “Come out with your family and bring your friends and neighbors as well,” said James Goodger, Branch Director of the Geyer Family YMCA. “We have an incredible day planned for the entire community and have a great opportunity to set a world record for holding a one-minute plank. We’re hopeful for perfect weather and a strong turnout, and feel optimistic we can make history!” There will be a carnival-like atmosphere as the Y, …
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
In a Patch Q & A, Weisert discusses why he's running for a seat on the Board of Education and what he plans to do for the district if elected.
PATCH: Why are you seeking a position on the Board of Education? WEISERT: I have lived in Bloomfield (and, for that matter, the same house) all of my life. I love this community and its people, and I want to be able to remain here. Unfortunately, I have seen property taxes approximately double in the last ten years. This has forced many long-time residents out of their homes because they can no longer afford the taxes. This is intolerable. I want to do what I can to act as a taxpayer advocate on the Board while at the same time keeping in mind that a quality school system is a significant factor in maintaining property values and that a first rate education for our children is absolutely necessary. I believe that I can be …
Pat Gilleran
7:57 am on Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Some questions for Nicole Williams I have been reading election reports for past Bloomfield school board elections and noticed you were the treasurer for Joel Rosen last year and Demarino/Toro/Wikinson the year before. http://www.elec.state.nj.us/ELECReport/StandardSearch.aspx Question 1 - I noticed that a contributor named Good Government & Leadership from Hackensack donated $1600 to Joel Rosen… more ›