Fortgang Elected Chair Of Local Democratic Committee

The Verona Democratic Municipal County Committee held its reorganization meeting on Monday, June 11 and elected Laura Berman Fortgang its new chairwoman. Allen Zaks was elected vice chair.  “Thank you to Teena Schwartz for years of leadership,” Fortgang said.

Essex County is divided into 55​0 election districts, each of which has its own polling place and is represented by one man and one woman from each political party.They are the party officials at the most local level. These people are commonly referred to as “district leaders” or officially as “County Committee members.”

County Committee members are elected every two years by voters from each party at the primary election in June. Their job is to identify and register new voters, and assist voters in declaring party affiliation, getting mail-in and military ballots. They remind voters to vote and get out the vote on Election Day, and make sure that no voter is denied the right to vote. County Committee members can also facilitate communications with local, county, state, and federal elected officials and candidates throughout the year and serve as an advocate and representative of the residents in their district on neighborhood or district issues.

Here is the new leadership of Verona Democratic Municipal County Committee:

District 1
Willola Ashley (returning member)
Jeffrey Monacelli (new)

District 2
Mark Fortgang (new)
Laura Fortgang (new) Chair

District 3
Allen Zaks (returning) Vice-Chair
Robin Wallace (new)

District 4
George DePaul (returning)
Branka Kurta (returning)

District 5
Ted Giblin (returning)
Toral Patel (returning) Recording Secretary

District 6
James Foran (returning)
Eileen Feinberg (returning)

District 7
Lonna Murphy (returning)
Ralph Bongo (new)

District 8
Teena Schwartz (former Chair, returning)
Larry Schwartz (new)

District 9
Robert Rowbatham (returning)
Denise Verzella (new)

District 10
Armenio Sandoval (new)
Paula Sandoval (new)

District 11
John Callari (new)
Diane Callari (new)