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No Outside Contributors in Low-Budget School Board Race

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Ocean City Board of Education winners Cecelia Gallelli-Keyes, Mike James and Joe Clark.

 

The state released 20-day post-election campaign finance reports for the Nov. 4 election on Wednesday, and the information shows campaigns that were almost entirely self-funded in the only local race — for three seats on the Ocean City Board of Education.

Two of the four candidates spent nothing. The top vote-getter, incumbent Board President Joseph S. Clark Jr., and the bottom vote-getter, Dale F. Braun Jr.

Michael Allan James contributed $2,056.56 of his own money to a successful campaign for a first three-year term on the board. He spent $950.16 for signs (MC Signs of Ocean City), $945.90 for campaign coordination and postcard printing (JASM Consulting of Ocean City), and $160.50 for telemarketing (VoiceLogic of Toronto, Canada).

Cecelia Gallelli-Keyes spent $272.58 of her own money for posters and campaign cards. She accepted $425.69 from her father, Mario Gallelli, for lawn signs.

The state Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) requires all candidates for public office to file reports on campaign contributors and campaign expenses. New Jersey’s ELEC was formed in 1973 to make elections more transparent. The reports are designed to give the public a glimpse of potential influences on candidates and to ensure that candidates follow laws governing campaign finance.

The final results of the election were as follows:

  • Joseph S. Clark Jr. (2,189)
  • Cecelia Gallelli-Keyes (2,150)
  • Michael Allan James (2,072)
  • Dale F. Braun Jr. (1,742)