Election 2024: Barnegat Township Committee Claire Edelstein
BARNEGAT, NJ — The 2024 general election will likely be a high-turnout year with a presidential race on the ballot, along with candidates for New Jersey's U.S. House and Senate seats. But there will also be local decisions to be made in Barnegat Township, with local and county elections on the ballot.
The Barnegat Township Committee has two seats up for election. Ahead of Election Day on Nov. 5, Patch sent questionnaires to all candidates seeking their responses. Here is the response from Democratic candidate Claire Edelstein.
Editor's Note: Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the office of the clerk. The responses received will be published between now and the Nov. 5 general election. These responses will be published edited only for style. Candidates who would like to participate but did not receive one (for whatever reason) can contact Claire Edelstein : 72 Party Affiliation: Democratic : B.A. English Literature, Brooklyn College, M.A. Secondary Education, College of Staten Island, Graduate Classes, NYU Business School : Retired Bond Market Research Research Analyst, Teacher/Librarian : Board Member/Corresponding Secy., Friends of So. Oc. Cty. Animal Shelter Former Pres. Mirage Jewish Cultural Group, Secy. Mirage Bocce League, Mirage Bowling League Banquet Mgr. : Married 52 years, two children, two grandchildren
What drove you to seek public office?
I was frustrated by the lack of transparency by the same old tired Republican candidates. They offer no new ideas or visions for our township's future, and their rhetoric has been divisive rather than inclusive. I want to see a Township Committee that includes bipartisan members who propose innovative solutions to solve some of Barnegat's pressing issues. For example, I believe the residents of Barnegat deserve well-maintained recreational facilities and an ability to access via zoom or live-stream Township meetings. This is crucial to allow citizens to better participate in heir local government. They also deserve a modern, state-of-the-art, functioning municipal building. Currently, none of these is available to the Barnegat citizenry!
What sets you apart from the other candidates?:
I have been an educator, a Wall Street analyst, as well as a mother, and a grandmother. I believe these all give me a unique insight, that frankly, the other Committee members do not possess. I believe it is high time that a woman's perspective was a part of the decision-making process on the Committee.
In your opinion, what is the best part of living in Barnegat?:
We currently live in an active adult community which offers us many activities for us to participate in. I like the small town feel of Barnegat, and its proximity to the beautiful bay and beach areas. Unfortunately, recently, they have not been as well maintained as they should have been. If Ron and I are elected, we would put a great emphasis on using the "Open Space" funds for what they were intended!
