Kerrie Joyce 
In anticipation of the General Election on November 4th, early autumn is a vital time for voters to get to know their prospective public officials. In addition to the more well-known jobs on the ballot, there are also candidates running for positions that are ultra-specific to your community, for example, your school district. Jersey City’s Board of Education has three open seats up for election this year, and seven candidates are running. Read on to learn about Jersey City’s Board of Education and the candidates running.
Role of the School Board
According to the New Jersey School Boards Association, “The school board has a dual role: To represent the concerns of the citizens, taxpayers and parents to the school administrators, and to represent the needs of the students and school district to the citizens, taxpayers and parents of the community.” The Jersey City Board of Education aims to “Improve our public schools and welcome any and all public input.” The board hosts public meetings where constituents may comment if they notify the Board in advance of the meeting. Meetings are also live-streamed on JCETV.
According to Jersey City Public Schools’ website, three School Board seats are up for election each November, each for a term of three years. In order to appear on the ballot, candidates must complete nominating petitions to be submitted in late July.
Like candidates for Mayor or City Council, candidates running for Board of Education seats run on shared slates rather than being categorized by political party. Candidates for the Board of Education categorize themselves by campaign slogans, running together based on shared goals for the school district. This election year, there are three incumbent Board Members seeking re-election, all of whom are running on the “Education Brings Solutions” ticket.
Read More: Candidates Set for Jersey City’s 2025 Elections
Meet the Candidates
The following are the listed candidates that will appear on the November 4th ballot per the Hudson County Clerk’s office.
Independent Parent and Taxpayer
- Sumit “Sam” Salia: According to an Op-Ed published in the Hudson County View, Sumit Salia is a small-business owner, U.S. Army Veteran, and parent to a child enrolled in Jersey City Public Schools. He is running independently.
Education Brings Solutions
- Afaf Muhammad: Afaf Muhammad is a current Board Trustee seeking re-election. She has a background in mental health and has received awards for Parent Leadership at P.S. 23 and City of Jersey City Woman of Action in 2019.
- Noemi Velazquez: Noemi Velazquez is the current Board President. She has a background working as an educator in public schools, retiring in 2017. After teaching, she worked in politics as an aide to Governor Phil Murphy and on multiple political initiatives. She is the president and co-founder of Latinas United for Political Empowerment and the New Jersey Hispanic Research and Information Center.
- Christopher Tisdale: Current Board vice president Christopher Tisdale is also seeking re-election. He is a current educator teaching English at Janis E. Dismus Middle School and adjunct professor of composition at Kean University. He holds a Doctor of Education and certifications as a schoolteacher, supervisor, principal, and school administrator.
- Lorenzo Richardson: Lorenzo Richardson is a former Jersey City Board Member and Board President. He has also worked on the Hudson County School Board Association and New Jersey School Boards Association.
- Brendan Doohan: According to the Hudson County View, Brendan Doohan is the current treasurer of P.S. 28 and president of the Riverview Neighborhood Association. He also has a background working as a data scientist.
- Aimee Sharrock: In a profile by the Jersey City Times, she is a former president and current neurodiversity chair of the P.S. 37 PTA. She also has a daughter enrolled in Jersey City’s public schools. She has a background in the private sector, working in HR.
See More: In-Person Voting Locations in Montclair
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