Primary Tuesday: Ramsey Voting Guide

This Tuesday, Ramsey residents will vote in primaries that will determine the candidates for local and state elections. Before heading to the polls, see who the options will be below.

Ramsey Borough Council Seats

On the local front, two Ramsey borough council seats will be up for election this year. According to the Borough Clerk, no Democratic candidates have filed petitions to run in the primary election.

The two council members currently serving in the seats up for election, Vanessa Jachzel and Harry Weber, have filed to run in the Republican primary. No challengers have applied to run.

Jachzel has served on the council since 2008.

“Ramsey is a community of compassionate and highly-involved citizens, and I believe very strongly in giving back to this community, helping others, and working to maintain the high level of services that we currently enjoy, while keeping our municipal tax rates stable,” she told Patch of why she wants to remain on the council.

During her time on the council so far, the councilwoman says she has worked on the development of the Ramsey Farmers’ Market, A Taste of Ramsey, Softball for Veterans, and other borough events. She is also the chair of the finance committee, which put together this year’s municipal budget. She said she hopes to continue working on the town’s finances, and on bringing community events to Ramsey.

“I am grateful for having been given the opportunity to serve the people of this town over the last six years, and am seeking a third term so as to continue to work towards these objectives,” Jachzel said.

Harry Weber is finishing up the third year of his first term on the council this year.

“My overall reason to run for re-election is that I truly love being a Ramsey resident and I believe strongly in being an active contributor in the community,” Weber told Patch. “I believe we have accomplished a lot within these past three years but the time has gone by so fast and there is so much more this team can do.” 

Some of the project’s Weber’s worked on while in office include upgrades to Ramsey parks, road and side walk enhancements, and environmental and recycling initiatives including completion of an Environmental Resource Inventory, obtaining bronze status for the borough, and increasing recycling revenues. 

“These and many other accomplishments were achieved while still holding a fiscally conservative line on the municipal budget and coming in well below the state mandated caps. I am seeking another term to continue with these efforts and take on new challenges going forward,” Weber said.

Governor

At the top of the ballot is this year’s gubernatorial race.

On the Republican side, Gov. Chris Christie will face challenger Seth Grossman. On the Democratic side, state senator Barbara Buono and East Orange mayoral aide (and former New Jersey Net) Troy Webster will face off.

State Senate

Both the Democratic and Republican candidates for state senator in the 39th district are running in uncontested races. Longtime incumbent Gerald Cardinale is running on the Republican side, and Jan Bidwell, a social worker who lives in Upper Saddle River, on the Democratic side.

General Assembly

Four candidates are running in this year’s primary for General Assembly seats in the 39th legislative district.

Democrats Anthony Iannarelli, Jr., a lawyer, and Donna Abene, a councilwoman in Woodcliff Lake, are running.

Incumbent Republican Holly Schepisi is bracketed with Robert Auth, chairman of the Old Tappan Republican municipal committee, and longtime Cardinale aide.

Submit your questions or news tips to jessica.mazzola@patch.com. And, remember to sign up for Ramsey Patch's daily newsletter, and get updates on Facebook and Twitter.