By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
Some new names, some old names and in one case no name will make up the school board election ballots this year as the deadline to submit nominating petitions was Wednesday.
Due to the hazardous weather conditions around the state caused by a major winter storm, Gov. Jon Corzine extended that deadline from 4 p.m. Monday to Wednesday.
In Cranbury, three, three-year terms are expiring.
Candidates include incumbent board members Lynne Shwarz and Austin Schraudenbach and newcomer Nicole Pormilli, said Joyce Picariello, the school’s business administrator.
Current school board President Joan Rue, who has dedicated more than two decades to the board, will be stepping down this year, she said.
”She will be sorely missed,” Ms. Picariello said.
With three seats open and three candidates running, Ms. Picariello said residents can guess the conclusion of this year’s election.
”They’re essentially automatically in,” she said. “The only thing is that there’s always the potential for write-ins.”
Monroe’s Board of Education also has three, three-year terms expiring this year with one current board member, Rita Ostrager, stepping down, said Wayne Holliday, business administrator for the district.
Incumbents John Leary and Marvin Braverman will seek re-election, while newcomers Mark Klein and Anthony Prezioso also will be on the ballot.
In Jamesburg, three candidates are running for four open seats.
Three of those seats are for three-year terms, while one is for a one-year unexpired term for which the serving board member, Karen Zimmerman, opted not to seek re-election, said Tom Reynolds, the district administrator.
Board member Anne Toth decided not to run again this year.
Incumbent members Ted Somers and Darren Larsen are seeking re-election while resident Robert Czarneski will be looking to serve his first three-year term.
School officials are hoping a write-in candidate will fill the fourth seat.
If there are no write-ins, Mr. Reynolds said the board will advertise the seat in the local newspaper and then appoint a member from the pool of interested parties.
School board elections are scheduled for April 21.

