Three out of four incumbents go down in Hoboken

04-18-2007 JJ

HOBOKEN — Board of Education President James J. Farina was re-elected tonight, but the other three incumbents were swept out of office.

With 97 percent of ballots counted and not counting absentee or provisional votes, Farina received 1,260 votes. Challengers Carrie Gilliard had 1,074 and Rose Marie Markle had received 943. They will serve three-year terms.

Tricia Snyder was elected to fill a one-year unexpired term.

She takes Magdalena Porratas seat, who was appointed to fill the position vacated by Jack Raslowsky, who stepped down in September in order to be eligible to be named superintendent of schools, which he was last month.

Incumbents Theresa Burns received 729 votes, Wanda Santana-Alicea 797 votes, and Porrata, 629.

Turnout was about one-third of the roughly 29,000 registered voters.

Mayor David Roberts had endorsed Farina but did not back the other incumbents, leaving some to whether this affected the outcome of the election. Farina ran with the other incumbents under the Children First banner.

"We worked well together for may years on the school board and have achieved many great accomplishments," said Farina, pointing to the ongoing renovation of Calabro School and future renovation of Connors School.

Gilliard, Markle and Snyder ran on the Kids First 2007 ticket.

Voters also approved the $34.4 million tax levy for schools, which remains unchanged since last year.