Westfield Election Guide

As we look ahead to November’s elections, Westfield Patch is devoted to bringing you the information you need about political happenings in Westfield, Union County — and beyond.

Here's our opening salvo in our coverage of the candidates and issues we'll be following as November draws near.

Members of the Westfield Town Council are all staying put until 2013 when five seats, including that of Mayor Andy Skibitsky, will be contested.

Westfield Board of Education members and David Finn will not seek re-election this November while members Gretchan Ohlig and Board president Rich Mattessich will run uncontested. Each will serve a three-year term. Newcomers will also run uncontested, with Biegler pursuing a three-year term and Galligan finishing out the last year of former Board president Julia Walker's term.  

Westfield residentwill take a second run at a seat on the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders in November. Barabas, who has lived in Westfield for 25 years, ran in 2006 but did not win.

Westfield is also located in the 7th Congressional District. Locals will be choosing between incumbent U.S. Representative Leonard Lance, a Republican, and challenger Upendra Chivukula, a Democrat. It will be an uphill battle for Chivukula: . Chivukula has to enlist support for his campaign.

Westfield residents will also get to vote for either State Senator Joseph Kyrillos (R) and U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D) in the race for one of the two U.S. Senate seats representing New Jersey — currently held by Menendez. Kyrillos has already in his primary election victory speech, calling Menendez a "mediocre" senator and stating, "Our unemployment rate, our soaring national debt, our out-of-control spending—these are all getting worse because of policies that Senator Menendez supports." In a statement on primary election night, Menendez said, he looked "forward to a campaign that will focus on and discuss the differences between us in an honorable way."

Keep watching Patch for coverage through November!