(LINDEN, N.J.) — Linden County School Board incumbents Marlene Berghammer, Lymari Cintron, and Antoinette Pino retained their positions on the Linden Board of Education, according to the New Jersey Secretary of State’s office.

The incumbents ran under the slogan “Putting Children First,” while outside challenger, Craig Halloran, campaigned under  “Change for Change.”

With all votes counted, Berghammer won 7,328 votes. Pino followed with 7,274 and Cintron with 7,251, or about 29% of the vote for each of the incumbents, according to NJ.com. Halloran received 2,499 votes, or about 10%, of the vote.

According to the bio she submitted to the local news site Tapinto Linden, Berghammer has served as the board president for the past two years and has lived in Linden for 12 years. As a single parent of a special-needs child, she has experience in education and business, holding a 20-year tenure as an enrollment manager in higher education.

She campaigned on fiscal responsibility and school safety, writing, “If you are looking for a candidate who will put children first, vote for Marlene Berghammer.” Berghammer did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Click after the election.

After retaining her seat on the board, Cintron told The Click that she is  “hoping to ensure the district fulfills the mission of succeeding while taking into consideration the budget and stakeholders.”  Her bio on Tapinto Linden highlights her long ties to the community and experience in public service. She told the local news site, “Voting is the articulation of our dedication to ourselves and this country.”

With a background in preschool education, Pino told Tapinto Linden that she believes in empowering individuals with education because “knowledge is power.”  She emphasized health education and community outreach in her campaign. The Click was unable to reach her for comment after the race.

Halloran, a retiree from the wastewater business, who has lived in Linden for 25 years, previously ran for the board in 2023, but was unsuccessful. In an earlier interview, he told The Click that he advocates for equitable funding, diverse educational pathways, and reintroducing trade schools. “Our biggest and best computer we have is our brain,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of fundamental skills. Halloran did not respond to requests for comment after the election results were reported.

According to the  the school board’s website,  the Linden Public School District is focusing on school-related challenges to encourage “respect for diversity, excellence in education, and a commitment to service, in order to promote global citizenship and ensure personal success for all students.” The district’s priority goals for the 2024-2025 school year include “student success, staff development and support, strategic planning, community engagement, and operational excellence.”

These are the unofficial results from the Union County Board of Elections website. Confirmation of the results will be certified on or before Nov. 20.