3 Independents Run For Cherry Hill Township Council, Including 2 Ex-GOP Candidates

CHERRY HILL, NJ — The Republican nominee in last year's mayoral election is among three candidates running for Township Council without a party affiliation.

Nicole Nance, who ran as a Republican in past elections, will run as an independent for one of two available council seats this November. Stephen Heath, Jr., who ran for council as a Republican last year, is vying for the other open council seat.

Mohammed Jawaad Hussain also filed to run for council as an independent. Hussain applied earlier this year for a then-vacant seat on the Cherry Hill Board of Education. But board members selected a different applicant, Quadsia Niaz, for the role.

Monday was the state deadline for independent candidates to file petitions to get on the General Election ballot. The independent-candidate field is not yet final, as the petitions must be fully certified.

In January, the council had two vacancies left by former members who advanced to new positions: Dave Fleisher, who became mayor, and Brian Bauerle, who Fleisher appointed as his chief of staff.

Council members appointed Daniel V. DiRenzo, Jr. and Jill Hulnick to fill their seats for the remainder of the calendar year. But Cherry Hill must hold elections to determine who finishes each "unexpired" term thereafter — in line with state law for replacing elected municipal officials who don't finish their full term in office.

DiRenzo and Hulnick, both Democrats, are running to retain their respective council seats. DiRenzo is running for a three-year, unexpired term for the seat formerly held by Bauerle, whose council term was set to run through 2027. Hulnick is running for a one-year term in the seat that Fleisher had occupied.

A full Cherry Hill council term lasts four years.

The Republican candidates for council are Judi L. Giacoboni-Russo (three-year term) and Anna R. Adler (one-year term).

• Related: General Election Showdown Set In Cherry Hill: What To Expect In November

Last year, Fleisher received 71.3 percent of votes in Cherry Hill's mayoral race against Nance, who garnered 28.5 percent of votes. The Democratic ticket for council, which included Bauerle, won by a similar margin, with the trio combining for 70.4 percent of votes. Heath was one of three Republicans nominees who ran unsuccessfully for council that year.

Independent candidates in New Jersey can submit a slogan to appear with their name on the ballot, in lieu of affiliation with a political party or organization. Nance and Heath are both running with the slogan "Ebony Ivory 1124," while Hussain's slogan is "Advocate for Children."

Here are the Cherry Hill Township Council candidates:

Three-year, unexpired term:

• Daniel V. DiRenzo, Jr. (Democratic Party)
• Judi L. Giacoboni-Russo (Republican Party)
• Mohammed Jawaad Hussain (Independent)
• Nicole Nance (Independent)

One-year, unexpired term:

• Jill R. Hulnick (D)
• Anna R. Adler (R)
• Stephen Heath, Jr. (I)

This November, Cherry Hill ballots will feature races for the presidency, the U.S. Senate and Congress. The township also has local elections, including a school board race in which 10 hopefuls filed to run for three available seats.

Early voting will take place from Saturday, Oct. 26 through Sunday, Nov. 3. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Helpful info for voters:

• Where is my polling place?
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• Vote by mail in Camden County.