Politics & Government

Elmer Fudd, Jersey Guys, Gov. Christie & Mayor Skibitsky Among BOE Write-Ins

88 write-in votes cast during annual school election.

Board of Education member Elmer Fudd? At least one Westfield voter wanted the cartoon character to join the Board of Education in Tuesday's election.

The annual school election, which saw a record turnout of 6,620 voters, featured 88 write-in votes, a higher than normal turnout. Many of the write-in votes were for residents while others were for fictional characters and famous non-residents. Town Clerk Claire Gray said she typically sees votes for the fictional characters on a regular basis.

The write-in vote count for Tuesday drawfs recent town wide elections. In last year's mayoral race, five voters choose to write-in a name other than Andy Skibitsky or Bill Brennan. During last year's BOE election, one of the most competitive in recent years, 51 write-in votes were cast. In the 2008 BOE election, which was uncontested, 24 write-in votes were cast.

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The highest write-in total went for Eric Ostrowski with five votes. Ostrowski's write-in votes all came from the third ward in districts, five, six and seven, which voted at the same voting machine at Jefferson School. An internet search reveals a Westfield twentysomething who attended a private school in New England with that name. It is not known if this is the Ostrowski voters intended on voting for.

Second place for write-in votes went to Gov. Chris Christie who received four votes. Christie's support came from the fourth ward, wit two votes in districts one and two and two in districts three and four. These districts voted at McKinley and the high school respectively. As the governor lives in Mendham Township, he cannot legally serve on the Westfield BOE.

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Christie tied Board of Education President Ginny Leiz, who received four write-in votes despite her name being on the ballot. Three of Leiz' write-ins were under her real name and one was for Gina Leiz. Leiz was reelected to her fourth term on Tuesday.

All of the candidates listed on the ballot received write-in votes. BOE Vice President Julia Walker received three write-ins and BOE member-elect Mitch Slater received two. BOE member Richard Solomon, who was unseated by Slater, polled one write-in which was cast for Solomon, no first name given.

Three former members of the Town Council were pegged for comebacks by school voters on Tuesday. Former Councilmen Peter Echausse and Sal Caruana each received two write-in votes, while former Councilman Matt Albano received one write-in. Echausse retired from the Council in 2007 and Caruana in 2009. While both represented the first ward, they each saw votes in their old ward and in the second ward as well. Albano, who represented the second ward, received his vote in the third ward.

At least one voter wants Mayor Andy Skibitsky, reelected in a landslide last November, to give up the mayor's chair and move over to the BOE headquarters on Elm Street. Skibitsky polled one write-in in districts one and two in the fourth ward. This election machine also saw two write-ins for Christie.

The Jersey Guys and 101.5 radio were well represented in the write-in totals this year. Ray Rossi and Casey Bartholemew, the hosts of the Jersey Guys call-in show each polled three write-in votes. Craig Carton, a former host of the radio show, received one write-in vote. Carton, now hosting a radio show in New York, is the radio host that former Gov. Dick Codey threatened to punch after Carton made comments about former First Lady Mary Jo Codey's battle with post partum depression.

The Jersey Guys were not the only radio personalities to receive write-in votes. One write-in was cast for Howard Stern along with one for Bob Grant. In the famous name category Stern was joined by one write-in for attorney Clarence Darrow, who died in 1938.

Christie was one of two state figures to receive write-in votes. State Education Commissioner Bret Schundler received one write-in vote. Schundler, a former Jersey City mayor, is a Westfield High School graduate.

Two fictional characters received write-in votes with one vote Elmer Fudd and one for Tinker Bell.

Several write-in voters used the vote to send a messgae. One vote was cast for anyone else while three were cast for anyone. One was cast for someone who can balance and one came in for not Leiz.

2010 BOE Write-In Votes

Eric Ostrowski - 5

Gov. Chris Christie - 4

BOE President Ginny Leiz - 4

Aaron Turnof - 3

Ray Rossi - 3

Anyone - 3

BOE Vice President Julia Walker - 3

Casey Bartholemew - 3

Joe Rosa - 3

Aleecia Seery - 3

Former Councilman Peter Echausse - 2

Former Councilman Sal Caruana - 2

Kathy Caminiti - 2

Erwin Ramirez - 2

BOE member-elect Mitch Slater - 2

Solomon - 1

Jeff O'Conner - 1

Daniel -1

Elmer Fudd - 1

Anyone Else - 1

Amy Flax - 1

Doug Stokes - 1

Xia Ofengi - 1

Tierney - 1

Mike Saxon - 1

Former Councilman Matt Albano - 1

Mayor Andy Skibitsky - 1

Karri DiPiazza - 1

Joy Schoeman - 1

Stephen Schoeman - 1

Ronald Kornicke - 1

Susan - 1

John Ricca - 1

Stuart Carney - 1

John Williams - 1

Someone Who Can Balance - 1

John Smith - 1

Jack McCorkle - 1

Craig Carton - 1

Joe Spooner - 1

PCDE - 1

Francis Giglio - 1

Anthony Prieto - 1

Cunningham - 1

Not Leiz - 1

Bob Grant - 1

Clarence Darrow - 1

Walter Korfmacher - 1

Dominic DiIorio - 1

Howard Stern - 1

Tom Quinn - 1

Not - 1

Howard Zinn - 1

Rosa Piccolino - 1

State Education Commissioner Bret Schundler - 1

Tinker Bell - 1

Mary Bash - 1

Jeff Bash - 1

Joshua Kaufman - 1

 


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