Democrats and Republicans Facing Uncontested Primaries in Toms River

Republican incumbents and Democratic challengers will face no opposition in their primary bids to run for seats on Toms River's Township Council. 

The seats of incumbent council members in Toms River's Wards 1-4 — all controlled by Republicans — are available come November. Democratic challengers, including a former Toms River mayor, have declared their intentions to run in the primary for those 4-year terms in each ward. 

Paul C. Brush, who was mayor from 2004-2008, is seeking to be the Democratic challenger to incumbent Ward 2 Councilman Brian S. Kubiel, according to primary candidate filings provided by the township clerk's office. 

Currently, all seven members of the Township Council, as well as Mayor Thomas Kelaher, are registered Republicans. 

Those who registered by the 4 p.m. April 1 deadline to run in the June 4 primary are:

Ward 1

Ward 2

Ward 3

Ward 4

Toms River is divided into four wards, each of which is represented by a member of the Township Council. The council has three other members who are elected "at-large" and do not represent a specific section. None of those seats are available in the 2013 election. 

Ward 1 has a population of 23,280 and is characterized by the ocean and bay. Ward 2, population 22,821, is the center land mass of the township, with Hooper Avenue running through it. Areas west and east of Route 9, north of Route 37 to the Lakewood border, make up Ward 3, population 21,872. Ward 4, population 23,266, stretches from the area surrounding Route 37 from Vaughn Avenue and west to Manchester.

The deadline for voters to declare a change in party affiliation is Wednesday, April 10, and the deadline to register in order to vote in the primary is Tuesday, May 14.

Independent candidates (as well as school election candidates) have until Tuesday, June 4, to file for the general election.