Middletown School Board Election May Be Decided Monday

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The Middletown school board race will likely be decided Monday, as that is when the few hundred outstanding provisional and mail-in ballots are expected to be counted.

But right now, Chris Aveta is in the lead with the most votes (11,506), followed by Erin Torres (11,430). James Cody (11,313) maintains a razor-thin .03 percent margin over his own running mate, Sara Weinstein (11,295).

Board members Joe Fitzgerald, wrapping up his first term on the Board, and Leonora Lacqua-Caminiti, who's been on the board for the past 19 years, were both voted off this year. Both voted for a controversial 10.1 percent increase to the Middletown school tax in April.

As of Friday, here are the current vote counts from the Monmouth County Clerk:

• James Dobis: 10,931 votes, 16.07 percent of the vote
• Chris Aveta: 11,506 votes, 16.91 percent of the vote
• James Cody: 11,313 votes, 16.63 percent of the vote
• Sara Weinstein: 11,295 votes, 16.60 percent of the vote
• Leonora Lacqua-Caminiti: 5,707 votes, 8.39 percent
• Joe Fitzgerald: 5,437 votes, 7.99 percent of the vote
• Erin Torres: 11,430 votes, 16.80 percent of the vote

Lacqua-Caminiti released a statement this week acknowledging her loss. She's been on the Middletown school board since 2006, and sent three children through the district. In her parting words to the public, Lacqua-Caminiti said the Middletown school board election should be moved to April, to make it less political.

"I entered this election knowing that seven people were running for three available seats. So I understood the odds of not winning, and that was OK with me," she said. "What upsets me the most is seeing people vote for a political party line rather than an individual. That is so wrong, and I say that because a school board position is not supposed to be a political one."

"Sitting on the BOE is strictly about doing what’s best for the children, parents and community. We all have our political beliefs, but when we assume the role of a school board member, we have to set those aside. That’s why in my heart I really do believe the election needs to be moved back to April to help remove the political politics out of BOE elections. Parents should be able to run for the BOE with minimal fundraising, focusing on community engagement, holding public forums and displaying lawn signs. It should not cost people $10,000 or more to compete for a seat on the BOE."

She continued:

"Verbal slander of BOE members and candidates, billboards, mass mailings, campaign texting and phone messages are unacceptable ... It’s time for the community to separate the political parties from the school board election. Maybe it is time to reconsider (or at least have the discussion about) bringing the BOE elections and budget vote back to April."'

Lacqua-Caminiti was also the one who suggested the school board bring back having two public meetings a month, a suggestion that was unanimously adopted by the board last week. She has been calling for the Middletown school board to be more transparent.