Politics & Government

7 Washington Twp. Residents Unopposed in General Election

Just one newcomer will fill a seat on the Washington Township Committee; incumbents will stay put on both school boards.

While there isn’t much going on in the way of local elections for Washington Township voters on Nov. 5, there are still seven candidates who will be filling representative roles in one- and three-year terms.

For the town’s governing body, two three-year seats are open. Incumbent James LiaBraaten is running for his second consecutive term after being appointed in 2010 following the death of former committeeman Kevin Walsh.

Don Babb will fill the other seat after running unopposed in the June Primary Election. This is Babb’s first foray into politics. He’ll be filling the seat of current committeeman David Kennedy, who announced in the spring he would not be seeking a second term.

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Babb and LiaBraaten will join Tracy Tobin, Bill Roehrich, and Ken Short on the committee.

Three of the nine Washington Township Schools Board of Education seats are open for three-year seats in the election. All three incumbents are running unopposed, and include current board president Cathleen Compoli, board vice president Kathleen Koop, and Kevin Daly.

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Three seats on the same board were also up for election in 2012, with two incumbents seeking re-election and one resident winning a write-in campaign to fill the final spot.

At the high school level, the West Morris Regional Board of Education has two Washington Township representatives up for re-election, with neither being challenged.

Incumbent Tom Richar is on the ballot for a one-year seat, and Lisa Woodring is seeking her first term via election after being appointed in 2012 following the resignation of former board president Cristen Forrester.

The board has two other seats being challenged on Tuesday in Chester Township and Mendham Borough.

Bruce Sullivan, Gary Lakritz, and Russ Cembrinski are all running for the open Chester Township seat. That seat has been vacated by current board president James Johnston.

Mendham Borough representative Jacke Schram is being challenged by resident Brian Cavanaugh for a three-year term.

There are two special questions on this year's ballot as well, one of which pertains to an increase in New Jersey's minimum wage. Find out more here, and let us know how you'll be voting. 

Are you surprised no Washington Township seats are being challenged? Not surprised? Tell us!


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