Independent Candidate Withdraws

By The Franklin Lakes Journal

Published: June 29, 2010

Lisa Sciancalepore has withdrawn from the race for mayor of Franklin Lakes after an expected challenge to her petition raised questions on several signatures.

The challenge to Sciancalepore was expected by many as the former Independent candidate had reportedly submitted only 100 signatures, the bare minimum required to get on the ballot in November.

It is common practice for candidates to gather additional signatures to compensate for situations where a person may not be a registered voter, or may not be a resident of Franklin Lakes. Sciancalepore’s submission of the minimum required was apparently to tempting for her opponents.

In Wyckoff this past spring, challenges in the Republican Party also made the news when Mayor Rudy Boonstra challenged the petition of Rev. Jeff Boucher. This challenge was on procedural grounds which a court allowed Boucher to remedy citing the number of signatures that exceeded those required as one factor in the court’s decision.

The withdrawal of the Independent candidate leaves Franklin Lakes with little to debate in the mayoral campaign as Bivona now goes unchallenged.

Additional reading:
Independents on the Rise in Oakland