General Elections Update for Lakewood

Tuesday Oct 21

- Reports, that Ocean County officials are urgently trying to secure more staff for start of 

Eaely voting on Saturday now anticipating much higher turnout, possibly as much as 2024!!

- David Wildstein from the New Jersey Globe noted that if Jack Ciattarelli has any path to winning the New Jersey governor’s race, it would likely come through high turnout among Orthodox Jewish voters across Lakewood and other communities in the state. Ciattarelli has built an organized infrastructure to mobilize the Lakewood vote, where he could potentially secure around 30,000 votes.

Additionally, Ciattarelli could remain competitive by flipping traditionally Democratic towns such as Edison, Englewood, Teaneck, Tenafly, Linden, West Orange, and Livingston, which could give him a path to victory.

- Report :Democrat candidate for Governor, Mikie Sherrill, plans on visiting the Orthodox Jewish community in Lakewood tomorrow, in a bid to stem Jack Ciattarelli's growing momentum particularly amongst the Orthodox Jewish vote 

- Trump endorses Ciattarelli:

"Jack CIATTARELLI IS A WINNER FOR NEW JERSEY! Mikie Sherrill is the exact opposite, a stone cold loser, who will drive your Energy costs through the roof, just like the Democrats are doing all over the Country but, even more so, because she has no understanding of what she is doing. Put simply, Jack Ciattarelli will bring your Energy costs down to a new low, and Mikie Sherrill will do the exact opposite — Energy costs under her will go up by levels never seen before. Mikie has no clue as to what she is doing. NEW JERSEY, VOTE FOR JACK CIATTARELLI — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!

- New Jersey Republicans are ahead of Democrats in mail-in ballot return rates for the 2025 governor's race!

- Localy in Lakewood unknown candidate Harriet Goldberg running as democrat for Township committee seat.

-In-person voting starts on Saturday. OCT 25

- Lakewood VAAD is reported to endorse Ciattarelli for governor. Lakewood is voting for Jack regardless however after the failed campaign in Lakewood to vote for Josh Gottheimer in the primary over Mikie Sherril (he ended up in 4th place) the vaad burned the bridge with Mikie Sherril. Even if they would endorse her, most of Lakewood will ignore their  endorsement and vote for Ciattarelli.

 Tuition relief is a big factor as Sherill did not say she will opt into the tax credits bill passes by Trump.

- Assemblyman Avi Schnall is seeking re-election. His campaign ads tout several state funding wins for Lakewood, including $8 million in annual state aid to the township. However, despite this increased aid, property taxes in Lakewood have gone up by 11%, a hike that will take effect immediately after the election directly impacting local residents' tax bills.

Notably absent from Schnall’s campaign messaging is any mention of tuition relief, an issue that was the centerpiece of his campaign two years ago.

- Former Assemblyman Ned Thomson (R-Wall), is seeking to regain the seat he held until his upset defeat in 2023. No campaign in Lakewood 

- Lakewood committeeman Issac Akerman is seeking reelection to the Township Committee.

- Board of Education member Moshe Raitzik has announced his candidacy for a seat on the Lakewood Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners.

- Sam Elenbogen, a frum resident of Toms River, is running for a seat on the Ocean County Board of Commissioners.