SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — On Tuesday, May 12, South Orange residents will head to the polls to vote in local elections for village president and three open seats on the Board of Trustees.
Last year, current village President Alex Torpey announced that he would not be seeking re-election. This year, South Orange has two women vying for the position: Trustee Sheena Collum and Emily Hynes. Both women were certified as candidates by South Orange Clerk Susan Caljean on Monday, March 9.
Hynes is running under the slogan “Smart Growth South Orange.”
Collum is running under the slogan “South Orange 2015” with the three incumbent trustees as running mates. The three trustees — Deborah Davis Ford, Mark Rosner and Howard Levison — are all running unopposed in this upcoming election.
Hynes told the News-Record that, although she had not truly considered running for village president in the past, she is determined to improve South Orange and maintain its atmosphere.
“I am running for two reasons,” Hynes told the News-Record via email last week. “First, I’ve lived in South Orange for over 10 years; this is my home. It’s the place my husband and I picked to raise our two children. I am deeply committed to making our community a better place for my kids. Second, I would like to see smart, sustainable growth in South Orange Village, preserving the village atmosphere by supporting small businesses, and through careful growth that looks at the long-term sustainability, appropriate scope and location of projects before we become South Orange City.”
Collum was elected to the South Orange Board of Trustees in 2013 in a joint campaign with trustees Stephen Schnall and Walter Clarke. Since then, she has gone on to chair several committees and has spearheaded many initiatives.
“Being a volunteer in South Orange for the past 14 years in various capacities has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life,” Collum told the News-Record this week via email. “From a practical standpoint, the village presidency offers a great opportunity to facilitate collaboration, build consensus and, ultimately, be responsible for implementation. My education and training, along with my professional experience and track record of involvement, make me uniquely qualified to deliver at a high level for our residents because it’s what they demand and what they deserve.”
Elections for village president and trustees will be Tuesday, May 12, at various South Orange polling places.