UPDATE: No Democrats File To Run In June Primary For Township Council Races

The four available ward seats on the Township Council this November will be in GOP hands, unless any independents file to run and win.

Berkeley was once a Democratic bastion in Ocean County for more than two decades. But no Democrats filed to run by the deadline yesterday for the June primary, Township Clerk Beverly M. Carle said after a special Township Council meeting on Monday night.

Republican Township Councilwoman Fran Siddons, who recently announced she would not run in a contested June primary for her Ward Four seat, has changed her mind. She is being challenged by Berkeley Board of Education member Sophia Gringrich.

Siddons said last month she was done with township politics. She had planned to run for another term and had begun raising money for her campaign. But she said then she was "viciously" attacked when she was interviewed by the Republican Club screening committee on March 2.

But Siddons said she received an "overwhelming" number of e-mails, calls and letters since then asking her to reconsider and run again.

"It was heartwarming," she said. "I gave it great thought. I was overwhelmed by the support, not only from my ward but from all of Berkeley Township."

Siddons has said she already knew she would not receive the club's screening committee's endorsement, because of her stance on key issues, including township finances and shared services.

The club's endorsement for the Ward 4 seat later went to Gingrich.

Township Council President James J. Byrnes filed to run for his first full term as the Ward 1 council representative. Byrnes - the former longtime president of the Berkeley Board of Education - was first appointed in January of 2012 to replace council member Karen Davis, who resigned because of health reasons. He won a one-year term in November 2012.

Askew was appointed to the Ward 2 seat in January 2012, to replace Carmen F. Amato Jr., who was elected mayor in November 2011. He was also handily elected to a one-year term last November.

Askew said after the council meeting he had decided against running for his first full four-year term to concentrate on work and his family. His son broke his leg recently and required surgery.

"They need me more than the town does," he said.

Republican Angelo Guadagno filed to run for the Ward 2 seat.

Council Vice-President Judy Noonan filed to run for another term for the Ward 3 seat.

Democratic Club member Dawn M. Parks said that the club was planning on running her for the Ward 1 seat and Keith Fisher for Ward 2. But they made a "last minute" decision not to run after talking to some waterfront homeowners, she said.

"Myself and Keith felt that at this time this council has a massive job to do in reference to Sandy Victims," Parks said in an e-mail "They started the process, so we felt it was only right for them to have a chance to fix the problems that have resolved around waterfront homeowners and the victims of Sandy.  I just hope that they can get the job done."

Independent candidates can still file to run beginning on June 4, Carle said.