Bayonne voters will head to the polls to elect a new mayor and likely several new councilmembers during a nonpartisan municipal election in May.
The headliners for mayor include Councilman Loyad Booker and former Council President Sharon Ashe Nadrowski, who are jousting for the mayorship, and they each have a slate of five candidates running for council.
Mary Jane Desmond, a former Bayonne councilwoman and Bayonne’s current business administrator, is also seeking the mayoralty. She ran an independent campaign for the 31st Assembly district in 2023, but her slate finished third.
Property developer Lance Lucarelli also filed to run for mayor with the slogan “Make Bayonne Great Again.”
Bayonne’s previous mayor, Jimmy Davis, resigned on Jan. 1 to become the Hudson County sheriff. The Bayonne City Council named Public Safety Director Robert Kubert as the interim mayor. He is not seeking a full term.
Ashe Nadrowski challenged Davis in 2022, finishing second and nearly forcing a runoff. Her running mates for council include Mariam Salama (at-large), Mark Bottino (at-large), Gene Perry (first ward), Melissa Godesky Rodriguez (second ward), and Thomas Gillen Jr. (third ward).
Booker, Bayonne’s first Black councilman, launched his bid in November. His council running mates include Melissa Enriquez-Rada (at-large), Ramon Veloz (at-large), Councilman Neil J. Carroll (first ward), former Councilman Salvatore Gullace (second ward), and Council President Gary LaPelusa Sr. (third ward).
Also running for an at-large council seat is Anthony Acosta, a Republican who had previously run for Assembly. Jim Pearl and Paralegal Dawn Lavelle filed to run in the first ward. Omar Elgarhi is running an independent bid in the second ward, as is school principal Karen Fiermonte. John Milan Sebik and Patrick Devaney Sr. are on the ballot in the third ward.