No contested races in primaries

Poll workers may hear crickets during the Republican and Democratic primary elections Tuesday, June 6 in West Milford.

There are no contested races on either party’s ballot at any level of government: local, county or state.

That will be different in the November general election, when candidates from the two parties will face off for mayor, two Township Council seats, Passaic County clerk, two seats on the Board of County Commissioners, two seats in the state Assembly and a state Senate seat.

Shona Mack-Pollock, who has been the county superintendent of elections since 2019, said West Milford is legally required to hold an election even if there are no contested races.

She said it was not unusual to have uncontested primaries, especially at the municipal level.

Michael Hensley, West Milford Republican municipal chairman, said the local party has worked hard to unify and avoid contested primary elections in the past three years.

Melissa Brown Blaeuer, co-leader of the West Milford Democratic Committee, said there have not been contested Democratic primaries in local races.

The mayor and all six members of the Township Council are Republicans. The previous mayor, Bettina Bieri, won three elections as a Democrat and another Democrat served on the council about 10 years ago.

Blaeuer said she would like to see West Milford return to a non-partisan form of government, which it had about 20 years ago, with some council members representing wards and other elected at-large.

That allowed voters to focus on the individual candidates and on local issues, rather than on the party they represent, she said.