City Council is expected to appoint Vannie Parson to the vacant 3rd Ward seat tonight to serve the less than five months remaining on the unexpired term.

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Bob Bresenhan did not seek re-election to a third term this year. He cited the need for “more time for increased demands and responsibility from work and family,” when  nominating petitions were due in the spring but then last month announced his resignation, which took effect on July 31.

Since the seat is held by a Democrat, the Rahway Democratic Committee nominates three people from which City Council can appoint. The Democratic Committee met virtually on Wednesday to choose three nominees: Parson of Forbes Street, Mary Gustafson of Rudolph Avenue, who serves on the Redevelopment Agency; and Joan Tapia of Main Street.

Parson is the Democratic candidate for the 3rd Ward City Council seat this November. In Rahway, all six City Council ward seats are up this year. Parson would be the third woman currently on the governing body and the first Black woman to serve on City Council.

The 3rd Ward extends from West Lake Avenue to the Colonia border across to the west side of St. Georges Avenue but includes a few blocks on the east side around Roosevelt Elementary School and further east, comprising mostly industrial neighborhoods. At-large City Council seats and the mayor’s seat will be up for election in 2022. Democrats currently hold all nine seats on the City Council as well as the mayor’s office.

Parson would be the second candidate on this year’s ticket who was appointed to an unexpired term. Fifth Ward Councilwoman Danielle Newbury was appointed in November 2019 to serve the remaining 15 months of Jennifer Wenson-Maier’s term. Wenson-Maier stepped down to become executive director of the Housing Authority.

Local Republicans are running four candidates this year: Patrick Cassio in the 1st Ward,  Libby Maljian in the 2nd Ward, Dan Gagnon in the 3rd Ward, and Dave Straka in the 5th Ward. In addition to Parson and Newbury, Democrats are running incumbents Rodney Farrar in the 1st Ward, Michael Cox in the 2nd, David Brown in the 4th, and Joseph Gibilisco in the 6th.

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