Election results are now official.
There were seats open for Hillsborough Township Committee, Hillsborough Township Board of Education and fire district in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The final vote tallies released Nov. 21 through the Somerset County Clerk’s Office include early voting, mail-in ballots and Election Day voting.
Hillsborough Township Committee
Republican incumbents Shawn Lipani and Robert Britting Jr. received 12,409 and 12,404 votes, respectively, over Democratic candidates Hermes Vallejo and James VanderVliet to return to the dais in January.
Vallejo and Vander Vliet received 10,054 votes and 9,917 votes, respectively.
There were 44 write-in votes.
Ahead of the election, Lipani, who will serve his third term, and Britting Jr., who has served on the committee since 2022 and is currently serving as mayor, shared why they were running for re-election and what they would like to concentrate on.
Britting Jr.: It is an honor to serve my community as mayor as I have been working tirelessly to serve everyone, regardless of political affiliation. I’ve taken on major issues such as State Road 206, warehouses, preserving land, fixing major road issues and investing in public safety. I will continue to focus on guiding Hillsborough to a better future and standing in front of problems.
I will continue to transparently focus on public safety, fix our road system, preserve land and block unnecessary building and bring in new businesses. My work is not done keeping Hillsborough a wonderful place to live for our families.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? Continue to lead with unapologetic transparency. Transparency is essential for government to properly lead the people we serve. I transformed the way people engage with the township leadership through direct and digital communication. This allowed me to share successes in 2024 on a regular basis as we made huge strides in 2024:
- Maintain our AA plus bond rating
- Maintained one of Central New Jersey’s best debt-to-income ratios
- Prioritized investments in public safety
- Initiated our $10M road improvement plan
- Major land preservation; town and via county partnerships
- 206 is back on track!
We have a solid future.
Lipani: To ensure the community is always first priority when it comes to financially responsible government, protecting our rural charm by purchasing land for open space which helps control over development, supporting the police department, and continuing the infrastructure program I initiated in 2020.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? Guide our township into the next phase of the state affordable housing mandate, continue to pursue open space purchases which have recently included over 1,000 acres of land. Enhance our parks, provide the necessary tools to our police department, and continue paving roads in need throughout the township.
Hillsborough Board of Fire Commissioners
Three candidates vied for the two open seats in the election. Incumbent William J. Woodruff III received 11,792 votes, followed by incumbent Marian Fenwick-Shaffer with 8,168 votes. Sam Rozycki has received 6,291 votes. There were 92 write-in votes.
Hillsborough Township Board of Education
Five candidates vied for the three open seats in the election.
Jane M. Staats received 10,328 votes, Elaine Jackson received 9,809 votes and Allison Laning-Beder received 8,461 votes to return to the board.
Candidate Diane Braungard-Galayda received 6,300 votes and N. Jannah Hameed received 5,890 votes. There were 158 write-in votes.
Ahead of the election, Staats, who previously served on the board from 2019 through 2021 and currently from 2023 through 2024, will serve another term; Jackson, who will serve her second term; and Laning-Bader, who will serve her second term, shared why they were running for re-election and what they would like to concentrate on.
Jackson: I chose to run for a second term because I felt there was more to accomplish than could be done within a single term. When my first term began, the district faced unusual circumstances that had to be addressed while handling day-to-day operations. We are now better able to focus wholly on the district, especially to address important issues like safety, redistricting, teacher shortages and curriculum.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? I believe we need to stay on top of the lack of an equitable state school funding plan. The S2 formula is coming to an end, and we need to advocate for the restoration of funding. Years of funding cuts have led to loss of staff, transportation issues, and building maintenance challenges. Hillsborough deserves better.
Laning-Bader: I am seeking re-election to continue working with my fellow board members to restore confidence in Hillsborough’s Board of Education. During my first term, we have worked successfully to bring stability and trust back to Hillsborough Township schools. We hired Superintendent Mike Volpe, who has worked with the board to provide transparency, improve student safety, and enhance day-to-day operations. I look forward to continuing those efforts, while seeking to provide the students and staff of this district with the educational support that they deserve.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? I would like to continue to improve upon communication and transparency within the school district and focus attention on ensuring that the mental health of staff and students remains a top priority. I believe a truly successful educational environment is one where all stakeholders feel supported not only in their physical health and safety, but their mental well-being as well.
Staats: I have always felt a sense of obligation to serve others in the community. With my expertise and passion for education in particular, I have contributed as a public-school math teacher, parent, tutor, school volunteer, and school board member. I would like to continue to contribute my services on the school board. I intend to continue using my open-mindedness, experience, empathy, work ethic, knowledge in the field of education, and my knowledge about Hillsborough schools in particular to serve all Hillsborough students. As a board member, I have initiated some positive changes, and I would like to continue doing so.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? Reducing class sizes is a top priority for me. Some classes in the elementary grades have 26-27 students, and many class sizes in grades 7 through 12 are 30 plus. With smaller classes, teachers can provide more individualized attention to students, and students are more likely to be engaged. Redistricting may mitigate this problem in K-4. Hiring additional teachers throughout all grades would definitely help. In last spring’s community survey, the number one priority was “Increase instructional staff in areas of student need.” In last year’s strategic planning survey, “Class size” was a top priority, second only to “High school facility.”
