Yasmine Coello and and current First Ward Councilman Eugene Meola filed as independent candidates for two separate municipal offices up for election this year.
Ms. Coello filed for Council-At-Large and Councilman Meola filed to retain his seat as the representative for the borough’s first ward residents. Councilman Meola was a member of the Roselle Park Democratic Party but he declared himself as an Independent in January of this year (link to article).
Ms. Coello will be running against Republican candidate and former Roselle Park Mayor Joseph DeIorio and Democratic candidate James D. McCrady.
Councilman Meola along with Republican candidate Jayme Lynn Negron and Democratic candidate Maxine Padulsky will be vying for First Ward Council.
This marks the first time in years that two people officially unaffiliated with either of the two major political parties will run for office and the first time that as many men as women are running for local offices.
The general election for both municipal seats is Tuesday, November 7, 2017.