Politics & Government
Election Guide: County Races
Voters will choose a county surrogate and three freeholders in this month's election.
Union County Surrogate
Five-Year Term (Jan. 1, 2010 - Dec. 31, 2014)
The county surrogate is a constitutional officer of the state who is empowered to handle probate issues in the county. The surrogate probates and administers estates, establishes trusts and guardianships and processes adoptions. While both candidates this year are lawyers, the state does not require county surrogates to hold law liceneses.
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Democratic Party
James LaCorte of Elizabeth: Currently completing his second term as county surrogate, LaCorte was an attorney before entering public office. In addition to the constitutional duties of his office, he has been active in speaking countywide about probate issues.
Republican Party
Art Zapoloski of Linden: An attorney, with a practice in Linden, this is Zapoloski's first bid for public office. He recently retired as a colonel in the Air Force Reserves. He was on active duty in the Air Force before joining the Reserves.
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Union County Freeholder (Vote for Three)
Three-Year Term (Jan. 1, 2010 - Dec. 31, 2012)
The Board of Chosen Freeholders is the chief governing body of Union County. The Board appoints a county manager to manage the operations of state government, approves county laws, oversees county departments and approves the county budget.
Democratic Party
Alexander Mirabella of Fanwood: First elected as a freeholder in 1997, Mirabella is completing his fourth term in office. A business executive professionally, he served two terms as a councilman in Roselle Park in the 1990s, including service as council president. He is presently freeholder board chairman, an office he also held in 2001 and 2006. His wife, Phyllis, is a former councilwoman in Roselle Park.
Deborah Scanlon of Union Township: First elected as a freeholder in 1997, Scanlon is completing her fourth term in office. A paralegal professionally, she served as the freeholder board chairwoman in 2003. She is a former member of the Board of Education in Union Township, where she headed the board's finance committee. Her husband, Patrick, is a former Mayor of Union Township.
Mohamed Jalloh of Roselle: An attorney, Jalloh is seeking his first public office in this election. He has worked as an assistant county counsel and has been active in Democratic politics in the county.
Republican Party
Anthony Sytko of Garwood: An attorney, Sytko is serving his first term as a councilman in Garwood. First elected in 2007, he serves as chairman of the borough's buildings and grounds committee. He briefly served on the borough's Board of Education in 2005 and twice ran unsuccessfully for the Borough Council.
Nicole Cole of Fanwood: A first time candidate for elective office, Cole is an attorney by profession. She works in private practice in Cranford and previously worked for the State Senate Republican Caucus in Trenton. This is her first run for elective office.
Independent Ticket
Hope Thompson of Plainfield: A resident of Plainfield, Thompson is running as part on an independent ticket centered on issues surrounding the closing of Muhlenberg Hospital in Plainfield. This is her first run for elective office.
Karen Gielen of Scotch Plains: A retired nurse from Muhelnberg Hospital in Plainfield, Geilen is a first time candidate for elective office. She is running on a platform based on the closing of Muhlenberg Hospital. This is her first run for elective office.
ARTICLE: Freeholder candidates talk taxes, health care, pensions at debate.
Click here to go back to 2009 Election Guide main page.
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