Ginny Murphy and Julie Yankanich will be joined by Raymond C. Dinovi Jr. on the Board of Education in 2018
Washington Township voters cast their ballots in the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Incumbents Ginny Murphy and Julie Yankanich will be joined by newcomer Raymond Dinvoi Jr. to fill the three, three-year terms on the Washington Township Public School District Board of Education.
According to the Gloucester County Board of Elections’ unofficial results, Murphy received 6,588 votes, Yankanich 5,665 votes, and Dinovi 5,017, finishing ahead in the race against challengers Thomas Gleason, with 4,555 votes, and Dominick Ruggiero Jr., with 4,588 votes.
“Serving on the board will allow me to work with my Board of Education colleagues and dedicated staff to provide a quality education for the children attending Washington Township public schools,” Dinovi said. “I am humbled by the overwhelming voter turnout and grateful to be elected to serve the people of Washington Township.”
Having been an educator for 38 years prior to retirement, Dinovi continues to work part time as an education specialist, planning professional development for educators. As a board member in 2018, Dinovi hopes to see the newly implemented Equity Coalition and Strategic Plan come to fruition to reinforce equality and inclusion within the district, as well as set goals that address the direction of curriculum and instruction for students and staff.
“The long-term goal is to create a school environment that promotes equity starting in kindergarten and reinforced as part of the K-12 curriculum,” Dinovi said. “The Strategic Plan is the blueprint for the future … to ensure our students will be able to compete in the ever changing global society.”
Yankanich said she also hopes for the Equity Coalition and Strategic Plan to yield positive plans for the township, allowing the continuation for student programs while keeping taxes a priority concern.
“I will continue to provide a voice for the parents of our children in this town, as well as the taxpayers for the next three years,” Yankanich said. “I really worked hard to get out the vote. I think people saw I was an independent thinker on the board during the year and a half I served.”
Murphy has won the race for Board of Education for three years, and is looking forward to working with the Board of Education and administration in areas of student achievement, safety and revenue generation through public-private partnerships.
“Being elected for the third time to the Washington Township Board of Education is a an honor and a privilege,” Murphy said. “Having lived in this community for 37 years, the people don’t see me as a number or position on a ballot; they know me and support the work I have done on behalf of our students, staff and the community.”
During her next term on the board, Murphy will be working on the “Educational Opportunities for the Non-College-Bound Learners” statewide taskforce, which will deliver its formal report in June. Murphy said while the school earned the “Future Ready School” designation this year, the priority for the board will remain its position as a “forerunner” in technology and innovation.
“We must commit to achieving that level of excellence for all of the schools in our district,” Murphy said.
County and state election results
The Gloucester County Clerk will remain the same with incumbent Democrat James Hogan taking the lead with 64.54 percent of votes against Republican Diane King with 35.42 percent. The seat of county surrogate will also continue for incumbent Helene Reed with 61.81 percent of votes ahead of challenger William M. Gilson.
Incumbent Democrats Heather Simmons, Lyman Barnes and Jim Jefferson will continue to serve on the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders, having finished ahead of challengers Rose Yerka, Louise Pelosi and Mary Behm. Simmons, Barnes and Jefferson combined earned approximately 60 percent of votes.
In the race for the state’s fourth legislative district senator, incumbent Democrat Fred Madden received 97.67 percent of votes, securing his seat. Madden ran for the position unopposed.
Democrat incumbents Paul Moriarty and Gabriela Mosquero secured their seats in the state’s fourth legislative district General Assembly. Moriarty and Mosquero earned a combined 58 percent of votes ahead of challengers Patricia Jefferson Kline (R), Eduardo Maldonado (R) and William McCauley Jr. of the Represent, Not Rule Party.
In the race for the next governor, Democrat Phil Murphy finished ahead against Republican opponent Kim Guadagno. Murphy will succeed Chris Christie, with running mate Sheila Murphy as lieutenant governor.
Voters approved the statewide referendum question on the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act, which authorized the state to “issue bonds in the aggregate principal amount of $125 million” to be used as grants for public libraries.
Voters also passed the second referendum question that asked if voters approved of amending the state Constitution to dedicate all moneys collected by the state relating to natural resource damages to repair, replace, restore or preserve the state’s natural resources.
All results are unofficial until the Gloucester County Board of Elections certifies them. These numbers do not include mail-in or provisional ballots.
