ALLENTOWN – There may be a race for two seats on the Allentown Borough Council in the November election, but as of today residents do not know who among them will be running for office.
When the April 2 deadline arrived for Democrats and Republicans to file a nominating petition, no one turned in the required paperwork, Borough Clerk Laurie Gavin reported.
The terms currently being served by Councilwoman Johnna Stinemire and Councilman Robert Strovinsky will end on Dec. 31. In November 2015, Strovinsky and Stinemire ran as independent candidates representing the Allentown First ticket and won seats on the council. Their terms began Jan. 1, 2016.
An individual who chooses to run as an independent candidate has until June 5 to file a nominating petition, according to Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon. The prospective candidate must obtain at least 16 signatures from registered voters when filing the petition.
Stinemire has served on the council for one term. She said she would make a decision about whether to seek re-election within the next few weeks.
Strovinsky said he, too, is considering whether he wants to run to retain his seat.
The Republican and Democratic primary elections will be held June 5 and it is possible a Republican or a Democrat could secure a spot on the November general election ballot and run for a council seat by receiving write-in votes in the primary.
Hanlon said an individual would need to receive at least eight write-in votes in the Democratic primary to secure a ballot position as a Democrat in November. She said an individual would need to receive at least four write-in votes in the Republican primary to secure a ballot position as a Republican in November.
The number of write-in votes required relates to a percentage of votes that were cast in Allentown during a previous state Assembly election, she said.
