Current Councilmen Seek One-Year Terms; Dem Challenger Seeks Ward 4 Spot

With months left to have a write-in candidate on the ballot, November's election for two Toms River Council seats features two current and a Democratic challenger in the race.

The unexpired terms are for the seats held by appointed councilmen Alfonso Manforti Jr. and Jeffrey J. Carr, both of whom are seeking election.

Manforti, the current Ward 4 councilman, previously served on the council filling the vacancy of Councilwoman Melanie Donohue-Appleby last year. He is now appointed in the spot that state Assemblymen Gregory McGuckin held.

Manforti, of Lakehurst Road, is the Regular Republican Organization of Ocean County candidate for Ward 4, which is the downtown area of Toms River.

A chiropractor in Toms River, Manforti, previously served on the Toms River Municipal Utilities Authority and as the president of the Toms River Republican club.

Eli L. Eytan, of Tennyson Avenue, is the Ward 4 Democratic challenger, nominated by the Official Regular Democratic Organization.

Eytan, an attorney in Toms River, previously ran for the District 10 assembly seat in .

In Ward 3, the Republican candidate is Carr, who is currently appointed to that ward seat after Councilman Maurice "Mo" Hill won the at-large council seat in November.

Carr, of Constitution Avenue, works as an engineer. Ward 3 is the northwest portion of Toms River.

The Democrats have no Ward 3 candidate entered for the primary deadline, but Club President Nels Luthman said write-ins may still impact the race.

"We may throw our support behind an independent candidate," Luthman said. The deadline for independents and write-ins to make the November ballot is June 5.

The two seats are for a one-year unexpired term each.