The tally from the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office web site as of 10:17 pm on Tuesday.
By BRIAN DONOHUE
First-time candidate Christy Sunquist appeared to be the top vote getter in the race for Red Bank Borough Board of Education, with incumbents Suzanne Viscomi and Paul Savoia also headed to victory, according to unofficial preliminary results.
With results from all nine districts reporting, Sunquist had 1,959 votes, followed by Viscomi’s 1,916 votes and Savoia with 1,833 votes. If those results hold, the three will be elected to three-year terms on the nine-member board. First-time candidate and Red Bank Democratic committee member Julie Flores-Castillo trailed by 277 votes.
The race was the first contested race for seats on the board since 2015.
“I’m so grateful for the support and for the parents and neighbors who paid attention and cared enough to vote,” Sunquist said in a text response to a request for comment. “It’s exciting to see another parent voice joining the board, and I’m looking forward to working together to build the kind of schools every Red Bank family can be proud of.”
The top three vote getters will serve three-year terms on the nine-member board that manages the district which includes the Red Bank Primary School and Red Bank Middle School.
A recent meeting of the Red Bank Borough Board of Education.
For Viscomi, it marked her fifth time elected to the board, where she currently serves as president.
In an emailed statement to redbankgreen, Viscomi touched upon the political rancor – and the challenge to her long-held seat – that was sparked when Mayor Billy Portman ousted her from a post on the Red Bank Public Library Board of Trustees.
“I’m deeply honored to continue serving our community and grateful for the trust voters have placed in me. My focus remains where it has been for 14 years—on our students, teachers, and community. Now that this election is behind us, I hope we can move past the partisan politics and refocus on what truly matters—providing the best education possible for every child in Red Bank. I look forward to working collaboratively with my fellow board members to serve our community.”
Last month, Viscomi filed a federal defamation lawsuit against Flores-Castillo, along with Mayor Billy Portman and members of the Borough Council, for what attorneys called a “political hit job” that took place when Viscomi was abruptly removed from a library board position in July.
Portman removed Viscomi after an investigation by a borough labor attorney found she “much more likely than not” suggested two years ago that Flores-Castillo should have been deported, as her father had been.
Flores-Castillo publicly criticized Viscomi at the council meeting at which the charges were aired, then announced days later her plans to seek a seat on the board after being inspired to run by the incident.
In the race for Borough Council, four candidates on the Portman-led Red Bank Ready slate ran unopposed.
Incumbents Kristina Bonatakis, Ben Forest and Laura Jannone all will serve four-year terms. Their initial terms were only two years, a quirk of the process of initiating a new form of government and setting up staggered elections for council members.
Their first-time running mate, Ben Yuro, will fill the seat currently held by Councilman David Cassidy, who did not seek re-election.
At an election night gathering for Red Bank Democrats, newcomer Yuro received some kidding from a former council member about having no opponent in the first election of his life.
Happy night for Red Bank Dems, as their party wins the race for governor and four council candidates cruise to four year terms unchallenged. From left to right, Ben Yuro, Kristina Bonatakis, Laura Jannone and Ben Forest.)
“I’ll take it,” he quipped. “It certainly looks the same on the scorecard.”
He then added, more seriously, “I’m really excited for the opportunity.”
In the race for New Jersey governor, which saw Democrat Mikie Sherrill defeat Republican Jack Ciatarelli, Red Bank voted a deeper shade of blue than it did in the last race for New Jersey governor.
Ciatarelli received 28 more votes than the 1,400 he received from Red Bankers in his unsuccessful race against Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021.
But Red Bank voters surged to the polls for Sherril, who received 728 more votes in town than Murphy did four years ago. In percentage terms, Murphy won 60 percent of Red Bank votes compared to Sherrill’s 67 percent.
Those numbers mirrored a turnout surge for Sherrill statewide compared to Murphy’s performance four years ago against the same opponent.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided byredbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
Happy night for Red Bank Dems, as their party wins the race for governor and four council candidates cruise to four year terms unchallenged. From left to right, Ben Yuro, Kristina Bonatakis, Laura Jannone and Ben Forest.)
