Maplewood Election Day: What You Need to Know

Governor

Incumbent Republican Governor Chris Christie will be facing off against challenger Democrat Barbara Buono.

Other candidates include Independents William Araujo, Jeff Boss, Hank Schroeder and Diane W. Sare, Libertarian Kenneth Kaplan and Green Party candidate Steve Welzer.

State Senate

There are two candidates running for one four-year term for member of the State Senate's 27th Legislative District. Candidates are Democrat Richard J. Codey and Republican Lee S. Holtzman.

General Assembly

There are two two-year terms open for the 27th Legislative District for members of the General Assembly.
Candidates are Democrats John F. McKeon and Mila M. Jasey and Republicans Angela Tedesco and Laura M. Ali.

Board of Chosen Freeholders

There is one unexpired term for a member of the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Candidates are Democrat Gerald Owens and Republican David Pinckney.

Maplewood Township Committee

Three candidates are running for one three-year term on the Maplewood Township Committee. Candidates include incumbent Committeeman Marlon K. Brownlee and newcomers Art Gartenlaub and Kurt Kiley.

South Orange and Maplewood Board of Education.

Five candidates are running for three seats on the South Orange and Maplewood Board of Education. 

Candidates include incumbents Elizabeth T. Daugherty, David K. Giles and newcomers Stephanie M. Lawson-Muhammad, Johanna Wright and Marian Cutler.

Daugherty, Giles and Lawson-Muhammad are running a joint campaign.

This will be the first board of education election on the November ballot based on a law signed by Gov. Chris Christie. The law allows school districts that vote in April to change their election date to coincide with the November general election, and bypass voter approval for budgets that do not exceed the statutory 2 percent cap on property tax hikes.

State Public Questions

State Public Question No. 1
Constitutional Amendment to Permit Money From Existing Games of Chance to Support Veteran's Organizations.

Do you approve amending the Constitution to allow veterans’ organizations to use money collected from existing games of chance to support their organizations? 

Interpretive Statement
This amendment to the Constitution would allow veterans’ organizations to use the money collected from existing games of chance (such as bingo, lotto or raffles) to support their organizations. At present, the Constitution allows this money to be used only for educational, charitable, patriotic, religious or public-spirited purposes. Currently, only senior citizen groups may use the money they collect from existing games of chance to support their groups.

State Public Question No. 2
Constitutional Amendment to Set a State Minimum Wage With Annual Cost of Living Increases.

Do you approve amending the State Constitution to set a State minimum wage rate of at least $8.25 per hour? The amendment also requires annual increases in that rate if there are annual increases in the cost of living. 

Interpretive Statement
This amendment to the State Constitution sets the State minimum wage at the level in effect under current law, or $8.25 per hour, whichever is more. Cost of living increases would be added each year. Also, if the federal minimum wage rate is raised above the State rate, the State rate would be raised to match the federal rate. Future cost of living increases then would be added to that raised rate.

Polling Locations

Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

The polling locations are as follows:

• Maplewood Municipal Building, 574 Valley Street Districts 1, 3, 6
• Maplewood Fire Headquarters, 105 Dunnell Road Districts 2, 17
• Clinton School, 27 Berkshire Road Districts 4, 10, 14, 16, 22
• Prospect Presbyterian Church, 646 Prospect Street Districts 5, 15, 19, 20
• Morrow Memorial Church, 600 Ridgewood Road Districts 7, 8
• Maplewood Community Center, 120 Burnett Avenue Districts 9, 11, 12, 13, 21