COURT HOUSE – In four school districts the number of candidates on the ballot was short of the number of seats open. In each district a write-in candidate won an open seat. The votes were certified Wednesday, Nov. 22.
In Sea Isle City where incumbent Kerry Mullane was reelected to her seat on the school board, there was a race for the second seat with two write-in candidates competing. In the end Sue Williamson won the seat with 72 votes.
West Wildwood had no names on the ballot, leaving two open seats to be decided by write-in votes. A total of only 45 votes were cast, with April Hand receiving 16 and Donna Howard ending up with 17. No other write-in candidate received more than three votes.
Both Sea Isle City and West Wildwood have nonoperating school districts since neither municipality has an active school. The main task of the school board in these towns is the preparation of the budget to cover the expense of sending students to other districts for their education.
Wildwood was also one person short on the official ballot. Two individuals who were on the ballot easily won election to the board. Lynn Quinlan had 598 votes and Kelly Phillips garnered 641. There were only 118 total write-in votes, with the winner of the third open seat on the board being Joseph Murray with 55 votes.
The final school board election to be settled by write-in votes was in the Lower Township Elementary School District. Again three seats were open and only two names appeared on the ballot. Gary Douglass Sr. won his seat with 3,260 votes. He was joined by Joseph Thomas who had 3,020 votes. There were 666 total write-in votes, with the winner of the third seat on the board being Cindy Baldacchini with 161 votes.
Contact the author, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
