Incumbent West Ward Councilman Harold Johnson, right, stands with challenger Mike Scott, left, who is a member of the Orange High School Class of 1986, and the members of the Orange Peer Youth Council on Monday, April 30, following their participation in the group’s fourth and final debate before the City Council Ward seat election on Tuesday, May 8.
ORANGE, NJ — When voters go to the polls Tuesday, May 8, for the Orange City Council election, they will decide between the four incumbents or the challengers seeking to unseat them.
The ballot positions are as follows: in the West Ward, challenger Mike Scott is on line 1-A; Councilman Harold Johnson is on line 2-A; and challenger Hassan Abdul-Rasheed, a former councilman, is on line 3-A. South Ward voters will choose between challenger Brandon Matthews on line 1-A and Councilwoman Jamie Summers-Johnson on line 2-A.
Across town in the North Ward, Councilwoman Tency Eason on line 1-A is being challenged by Sharief Williams on line 2-A. And in the East Ward, council President Kerry Coley on line 1-A is facing challenger Dawan Alford on line 2-A.
“This is America, the greatest country in the world, where anyone can grow up, work hard and become whatever they want to become,” said Coley on Friday, Feb. 9. “I am a shining example of what America is all about. What can I say?”
Coley is facing a stiff challenge from Alford, an Orange native, member of the Orange High School Class of 2002, and well-known for his community activism. He helped found the 1 Family 2gether 4ever nonprofit group that awards college scholarships to eligible high school students in the name of Hassan C. Miller, who was shot to death in a taxi in East Orange.
Alford is running for the East Ward council seat with the slogan “A brighter Orange.”
“I’m a lifelong resident of the East Ward and I’m running for the council because it’s time. This community is in dire need of some new energy, some ethical guidelines and some people with a high moral compass,” said Alford on Monday, April 23, at the Orange Peer Youth Council debate at the Orange Public Library, which Coley did not attend. “This community is ready for it. The people in this community are tired and they are looking for change. I just want to encourage everybody to come out and vote and participate in the process that our forefathers put in place for us, to choose for ourselves what our leadership and community look like.”
Miller was the son of Abdul-Rasheed, who is running for re-election in the West Ward against Johnson and Scott, after previously serving two terms in office. He did not participate in any of the pre-election forums or debates organized by the OPYC or the Independent Concerned Citizens group, but he has firsthand experience on the city’s legislative body.
“The residents of the West Ward deserve someone with experience, who understands the political process. The three most important issues for me are the city’s finances, crime and collaborating with out citizenry on legislation, as the democratic process is intended to be,” said Abdul-Rasheed on Tuesday, May 1. “I have lived 35 years only in the West Ward and have been on numerous quasi-governmental committees and boards. … My qualifications can attest to the love and devotion that I have for the city of Orange.”
Abdul-Rasheed also said it takes courage to be a good council member.
“Many times, I have challenged administrations, city directors and council colleagues, in terms of what I thought was best for the city, only to be personally attacked,” Rasheed said. “But I never wavered nor expected anything in return.”
Scott did not participate in the ICC forum on Sunday, April 8, that Johnson attended, although both showed up at the OPYC debate on Monday, April 30.
“I’m on Line 1-A. I graduated from Orange High School in 1986. Come out and vote,” said Scott on Monday, April 30, at the OPYC debate. “I’m stepping forward to run for the West Ward council seat, because I think the city needs it. I think the city needs more candidates to pursue this office and bring about changes for the city of Orange as a whole. It’s not just about the West Ward. All the wards need to come together and create a change for the better in the city of Orange.”
Johnson said he’s running for re-election to a second consecutive term because he wants to finish implementing the reforms he began four years ago.
“I’m seeking re-election in the West Ward so I can serve my constituents one more time with due diligence, great character, ethics, honesty and get in there and roll my sleeves up and, as that business of the city comes across my desk, I will weigh in on it wholeheartedly, with the best interests of my constituents,” said Johnson on Monday, April 30, at the last OPYC debate.
“Anybody that wants to check out my record for the last four years, please look up my record. Don’t talk about some hypotheticals. The Clerk’s Office has every single vote I’ve ever taken on any piece of legislation, whether I authored it or it came from the administration. I stand by my record.”
The OPYC debate on Monday, April 9, was for the North Ward, where incumbent Councilwoman Tency Eason is being challenged by Williams, another Orange native. He did not participate in that debate, but he did show up at the ICC debate at Seventh Day Adventist Church on Sunday, April 22, which Eason skipped. Tracey Latta, who is mounting write-in campaign as a North Ward candidate, also attended the ICC debate with Williams. Latta failed to obtain enough nominating petitions certified to get on the ballot.
Orange Board of Education member Tyrone Tarver, a member of the ICC group, said he had invited Latta to participate in the forum on Sunday, April 22, because the organizers wanted to be fair to everyone who had shown an interest, although Williams said he was unaware Latta had been invited. Normally, participation in official election debates and candidates forums is restricted to candidates who meet the requirements to run for municipal office.
Since Latta did not meet the city’s nominating petition certification standards, she could not get on to the election ballot and isn’t considered an official North Ward City Council candidate. But she was invited to the ICC forum anyway, much to Williams’ chagrin.
“To keep it short and sweet, I was very surprised. I was looking forward to having a debate with the current incumbent but, unfortunately, today, that didn’t happen,” said Williams on Sunday, April 22. “The direction that the North Ward is currently going, I would like to basically flip that and move it into a positive direction,” said Williams. “I would like to be hands-on with the residents, not just show up for election time. Not just talk, but I would actually walk the walk and do the work.”
In the South Ward, incumbent Summers-Johnson, who is black, is being challenged by architect and fellow teacher Stevens, who is white, but both said the election in their ward is not about race.
“I really have a passion for urban development and planning. It’s my background and I’ve been involved in some projects that actually came to fruition and it’s kind of been my … lifelong passion … and I feel like I have an advantage in that sense to look at those portions of legislation on the city council and be a voice for them,” said Matthews on Monday, April 16. “I also realize that I’m very new. I know a lot less about the kids and kids’ programs, and I really applaud what my opponent, Councilwoman Summers-Johnson, has been able to do, and be a parent and be involved in the schools and I’m ready to take on those challenges and I really hope that I will be accepted and invited into those programs to volunteer.”
Matthews and Summers-Johnson agreed “it’s all about the kids” in Orange. Summers-Johnson is teacher in the Newark public schools and a mother of two sons.
“For me, I want to be able to spend more of my own money in Orange,” said Summers-Johnson on Monday, April 16. “Currently, we haven’t tapped into the 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds, so I always have to find programs and, at that age, I would spend top dollar for any program, because I have boys and they really need to be able to run and do what they have to do. The recreation part is my passion and also rehabbing some of these foreclosed homes and getting some of our Orange people that are paying high rent, get them into some of those homes, so we can get them back on the tax rolls.”
Orange candidates prepare for Election Day on May 8 added by Chris Sykes on
View all posts by Chris Sykes →