The Maplewood Democratic Committee is once again making its annual call for candidates for Township Committee seeking endorsement for the June primary.
Two seats on the five-person Maplewood Township Committee are up for election this year. Those seats are currently occupied by newly appointed Mayor Nancy Adams and Deputy Mayor Jamaine Cripe. Adams and Cripe have not yet announced whether they will seek reelection. Adams is currently serving her first year as mayor and ninth year as a member of the Township Committee. Cripe is serving her first year as Deputy Mayor and third year as a member of the TC. Township Committee terms are for three years.
The deadline to send a resume and letter of interest to the MDC for consideration for endorsement is February 12. According to a press release from the MDC (see full release below), “If more than two people are qualified, we will endorse all those registered Democrats the Committee deems qualified, and those will all be on the same ‘line’ on the ballot. This will also apply to those running for District Leader positions.” The MDC, in recent years, has been bucking the idea of the “county line” to make ballot placements more equitable.
The deadline to file with the County Clerk to run in the June 4 primary is March 26.
The MDC will hold two information webinars for potential candidates, as well as a candidates forum for those seeking endorsement to answer questions from the public.
The MDC is also looking for candidates to run for Democratic Committee District Leader seats.
See dates and more details below.
From the Maplewood Democratic Committee:
Maplewood Democratic Committee’s Open Call for Candidates for Local Municipal Office – the Township Committee AND To Serve As A Maplewood Democratic Committee District Leader
Candidate Educational Webinar on January 29 and 30; Public Candidate Forum on February 26
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Maplewood, NJ (January 14, 2024) –The Maplewood Democratic Committee (MDC) requests submissions from all registered Democrats interested in running as Democrats to serve on the local governing body – the Township Committee – as well as to run for and serve as a Democratic Committee District Leader. This election season, the NJ Democratic Primary is scheduled for June 4, 2024; the General Election is on November 5, 2024. In accordance with state election law, candidates seeking elected office must file their petitions to be on the primary ballot on or before March 26, 2024.
This year, in addition to running for Township Committee, registered Democrats may also run to serve as Democratic Committee District Leaders. Maplewood Democratic Committee District Leaders are charged with:
- furthering the principles of the Democratic Party.
- working diligently to elect Democratic candidates to public office and assisting in the development of good government in Maplewood, Essex County, the State of New Jersey, and at the federal level of government.
- collaborating and working with the Essex County Democratic Committee.
In 2024, the work of the Committee District Leaders will be more important than ever as we head into one of the most monumental presidential elections in history. Maplewood Democratic District Leaders will be working to get the vote out in Maplewood as well as throughout New Jersey and participate in organized efforts to get out the vote in battleground states.
The MDC will host a public webinar twice, once on January 29 and again on January 30, 2024 at which interested candidates can learn more about the process of running for office, election requirements, and about serving on the Township Committee, in addition to learning more about serving as a Democratic Committee District Leader. Please sign up using the following link: https://www.mobilize.us/essexcountynjdems/event/599135/
The MDC will also host a public candidate forum on February 26, 2024 where members of the public and members of the MDC can hear from and question interested Democrats running for the Township Committee. Details about the event which will be held virtually or in a hybrid format are forthcoming.
To be considered for an endorsement by the Maplewood Democratic Committee, candidates must submit a letter of interest describing their interest in running for the Township Committee and a resume by February 12, 2024 to Ian Grodman, MDC Chair, at iangrodman@gmail.com, or at hello@maplewooddemocrats.org. A follow-up questionnaire will be distributed to all candidates who submit a letter of interest and resume. Candidates’ answers to the questionnaire will be due one week later on February 19, 2024 and questionnaire answers will be shared with the MDC and the public. Candidates seeking MDC endorsement will also be required to produce a petition with a minimum of 25 signatures of registered Democrats in Maplewood who support them by March 19, 2024 to MDC Chair Grodman at iangrodman@gmail.com. Please note that 25 signatures represents half of the required amount of at least 50 signatures for municipal office according to state election law. Petitions can be picked up at the Township Clerk’s Office or by contacting MDC Chair Ian Grodman.
After introducing all Democratic candidates for Township Committee to the public on February 26, the MDC will gather on March 11, 2024 to consider the candidates seeking MDC endorsement. The Maplewood Democratic Committee is now one of the only Democratic Committees that will vote to endorse more than two people running for the terms beginning January 1, 2025. If more than two people are qualified, we will endorse all those registered Democrats the Committee deems qualified, and those will all be on the same “line” on the ballot. This will also apply to those running for District Leader positions.
For more information, any registered Democrat interested in running for Township Committee can contact Maplewood Democratic Committee Chair Ian Grodman to learn more about this process by emailing iangrodman@gmail.com, or hello@maplewooddemocrats.org.
TIMELINE AT A GLANCE:
January 29 and 30: Township Committee Prospective Candidate Educational Webinar
February 12: Deadline for Democratic Party endorsement submission of letter of interest and resume
February 19: Deadline for Candidate questionnaire submission
February 26: Public Forum
March 19: Deadline for submission of half of required signatures by candidates seeking MDC endorsement
March 26: Petitions to run for Maplewood Township Committee due to Township Clerk
June 4: NJ Democratic Primary
