Board race heats up
Incumbents Attanasi, Polito, Pullia; newcomers Coia, Donio, Grasso
HAMMONTON—The race for the board of education has become the subject of much attention locally in recent weeks, in part because there are six candidates running for three seats, with three incumbents (Tom Attanasi, Erica Polito, Michael “Mickey” Pullia) running against three first-time candidates (Luke Coia, Kelly Donio and Sean Grasso).
The Gazette will feature profiles about the candidates in an upcoming edition.
In recent months, as the novel coronavirus (COIVD-19) effects linger, school board races throughout the United States have made national headlines due to issues as varied as in-person versus remote learning, mask mandates, vaccinations, whether or not curriculums should include critical race theory (CRT), and concerns from and about teachers’ unions.
The Gazette has heard about those issues, as well as local matters like the recent construction of a large solar array on the high school property, from the residents of the communities whose students are directly impacted by their connection to the school district: Hammonton, Waterford Twp. and Folsom. Hammonton has nine seats on the Hammonton Board of Education; Waterford Twp. has one; and Folsom has one.
The school board election is held at the same time as the general election, with in-person early voting beginning on October 23 and lasting until October 31. Mail-in and drop-off ballots are available and mail-ins must be postmarked before November 2. Election Day is November 2.