RED BANK – Two Democrats and one Republican are seeking to become Red Bank’s first new mayor in more than 15 years, while two Democrats and two Republicans have filed to run for two available terms on the Borough Council.
Mayor Pasquale Menna, a Democrat who took office in 2007 and is serving his fourth term, will not seek re-election in 2022. His term will end in December.
According to the borough clerk’s office, Democrats Michael Ballard and William Portman, and Republican Brian Irwin are seeking the four-year term of the mayor’s office.
Ballard and Portman will seek the Democratic Party nomination in the June 7 primary election.
Irwin will run unopposed in the Republican Party primary election.
Ballard is currently serving as a member of the Borough Council. If he wins the primary election and is elected mayor in November, his council seat will be vacated and a Democrat will be appointed to succeed him on the governing body for one year.
On the Borough Council, the terms currently held by Democrats Kathy Horgan and Angela Mirandi will be on the ballot in the Nov. 8 election. Horgan, who has served on the governing body since 2008, is not seeking re-election.
According to the borough clerk’s office, the two three-year council terms are being sought by Mirandi, who was recently appointed to fill an open seat on the council, and John Jackson as the Democratic candidates, and Jonathan Maciel Penney and Christine Stout as the Republican candidates.
Penney and Stout filed nominating petitions to be the Republican candidates for council in 2021, but withdrew ahead of the general election.
Irwin and Penney submitted their names as Republican council candidates in 2020 before withdrawing from the race.
Democrats hold all six council seats and the mayor’s office in Red Bank.
Individuals who want to run for mayor or council as independent candidates have until June 7 to file a nominating petition and secure a spot on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.