Black and Hispanic Candidates Running for Office in South Jersey; Find Out Who Here
By Clyde Hughes | AC JosepH Media
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was produced as part of the 2020 Election Reporting Fellowship with NJ ethnic and community media organized by the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University.
ATLANTIC CITY — It seemed like a long time coming, especially with the coronavirus pandemic, but the November general election is finally here.
Actually, the election has been going on for about a month now with many casting their ballots early via absentee and mail-in ballots. African Americans and Hispanic candidates are making their presence known in numerous elections through South Jersey.
Some like Atlantic County Freeholder candidate Celeste Fernandez and Pleasantville Mayoral candidate Judy Ward will be trying to make history with their elections. Others, like Vineland School Board Member Cedric Holmes, will be trying to retain his seat after making history of his own several years ago.
There is a value in documenting those in the Black and Hispanic community who have taken the call and run for officer to represent their communities. Here is the list of African American and Hispanic candidates running in Nov. 3 general election in South Jersey.
Please let us know if we missed anyone at clyde.hughes@yahoo.com.
U.S. Senator
Cory Booker (incumbent), Democrat
ATLANTIC COUNTY
Freeholder At-Large: Celeste Fernandez, Democrat
Freeholder, District 3: Thelma Witherspoon, Democrat; Andrew Parker, Republican
Sheriff: Joe “Tokyo” O’Donoghue, Republican
Atlantic City
Board of Education: Jarrod Barnes, Patricia Bailey (incumbent), Walter Johnson, Allen Thomas (incumbent), Ambrose Gray
Mayor: Marty Small, Sr. (incumbent), Democrat
Second Ward: Latoya Dunston (incumbent), Democrat
Buena Vista Township
Council: David Turner (incumbent), Democrat; Ronnise White (incumbent), Democrat
Egg Harbor City
Council: Clifford Mays Jr. (incumbent), Republican
Egg Harbor Township
Board of Education: Tamika Gilbert-Floyd (incumbent)
Committee: Lisa March, Democrat; Frank Rivera III, Democrat
Hamilton Township
Board of Education: Darrell Edmonds
Hammonton
Council: Otto Hernandez, Republican
Northfield-Mainland Regional
Board of Education: Evelyn Perez
Pleasantville
Board of Education: Loreal Chrisp, Julio Sanchez, Elysa Sanchez (incumbent)
Mayor: Judy Ward, Demoocrat; Tony Davenport, Independent
At-Large: Carla Thomas, Democrat; Sharnell Morgan, Independent
Woodbine
Board of Education: Miriam Vives-Rivera
BURLINGTON COUNTY
Bordentown Township
Council: Aneka Miller, Democrat
Burlington Township
Council: Elrich Green, Democrat
Evesham Township
Council: Eddie Freeman III, Democrat
Mount Holly
Council: Lewis Brown (incumbent), Democrat
Westampton
Council: Sandy Henley (incumbent), Democrat
Willingboro Township
Board of Education: Corvena Francis-Denton, Debra Williams (incumbent)
CAMDEN COUNTY
Freeholder: Jonathan Young (incumbent), Democrat; Al Dyer, Democrat
Camden Board of Education: Wasim Muhammad, Karen Merricks, Clayton Gonzalez, Kevin Ruiz-Berroa, Aaron Cooper, JaNell McRae, Theo Spencer
Cherry Hill Board of Education: Ineda “Corrien” Elmore-Stratton, Jessica Rodriguez, Rosy Arroyo
Chesilhurst
Borough Council: Pearlie C. Lee, Karen Chew, Maria Littles
Lawnside
Council: Rhonda Wardlow-Hurley (incumbent), Democrat; Eric Wilcox Sr. (incumbent), Democrat
Lawnside Board of Education: William Jordan (incumbent), Mark Bass, Ferin Catlett, Phoenix Moore, Cheryl Hollins, Nana Cauthorne (incumbent), Alexis Wilson (incumbent)
Winslow Township
Council, Ward 2: Evelyn Leverett (incumbent), Democrat
Council, Ward 3: Marie Lawrence (incumbent), Democrat
Woodlynne
Borough: Pablo Fuentes, Lavar Edwards, Clyde Cook
Woodlynne Board of Education: Catherine Chukwueke
CAPE MAY COUNTY
Middle Township
Committee: Bob Jackson, Democrat
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
Freeholder At-Large: Donna Pearson, Democrat; Darwin Cooper Jr., Republican; Tony Romero, Republican
Bridgeton
Board of Education: Rev. Albert Morgan (incumbent); Ricardo Perez; Kenny Smith-Bey (incumbent); Erica Williams-Smith (incumbent)
Fairfield Township
Board of Education: Janice Carter, Erica Goodwin (incumbent) Ruth Butler
Council: Tommy Clark Jr. (incumbent), Democrat
Vineland
Council: Elizabeth Arthur, Al Vargas (incumbent), Eligio Rodriguez
Board of Education: Cedric Holmes (incumbent); Dennis Rivera
GLOUCESTER COUNTY
Freeholder: Jim Jefferson (incumbent), Democrat
Logan Township Board of Education: Alexis Rhone
Monroe Board of Education: Tiffany Winters-Walker, Bruce Rice, Osco Williams, Latasha Fuller-Williams
Paulsboro
Council: Joe Kidd (incumbent), Democrat; Theodore Holloway (incumbent), Democrat
Swedesboro-Woolwich Board of Education: Vivian Lane
Williamstown
Council: Edward Ruiz, Republican
Woodbury
Ward 1: Donna Miller (incumbent), Democrat
Woodbury Heights Board of Education: Donnetta Beatty
SALEM COUNTY
Carneys Point Township
Council: Charles Newton Jr. (incumbent), Democrat
Penns Grove
Borough Council: Jonathan Carter, Democrat; Charlyn Martin, Democrat; Carl Washington Jr., Democrat
Salem
Council
East Ward: Crystal Walker, Independent
West Ward: Sharon Kellum (incumbent), Democrat
Woodstown
Council: Valerie Spence-Lacy, Democrat
Did we miss you or your candidate? Contact Clyde Hughes ASAP at clyde.hughes@yahoo.com.
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