PARSIPPANY — In November, the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Board of Education election will be a highly contested race, as 12 candidates are vying for the three open seats. The deadline for candidates to file petitions to run for school board seats in the November general election in New Jersey was Monday, July 31.
This year, there are three three-year seats available: Timothy Berrios; Matthew DeVitto, and Debbie Orme (not seeking reelection). Berrios stepped down in May since his daughter became an employee of the school district. Kendra Von Achen temporarily filled his seat until an election is held.
The candidates who filed for these seats are:
- Matthew DeVitto (seeking re-election)
- Kendra Von Achen
- Balakrishna “Bala” Samaga
- Nilesh Bagdai
- Falgun Bakhtarwala
- Cassandra Cogan
- Wendy Wright
- Nicole Dellafave
- Lily Benavides
- Deitria Smith-Snead
- Timothy P. Berrios
- Andrew Choffo
Qualifications for candidates include:
- Be able to read and write
- Hold citizenship and one year’s residency in the school district
- Have no interest in any contract with, or claim against, the board
- Not hold office as mayor or member of the municipal governing body
- Be registered to vote in the district and not be disqualified as a voter under N.J.S.A. 19:4-1
With such a diverse pool of candidates, the election promises to be an engaging and important event for the local community. Voters will have the opportunity to choose representatives who will contribute to the betterment of the education system in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township.
