JACKSON, NJ — For over 100 years, the tradition will continue. Jackson Township will not have a representative on the Ocean County Board of Commissioners, continuing the longest stretch of nonrepresentation for any major municipality in the county.
The Republican Party, which holds all seats on the board, selected Schmuel Ellenbogen of Toms River and Ray Gormley of Little Egg Harbor as its 2025 nominees, passing over potential candidates from Jackson.
Ellenbogen, a prominent Orthodox Jewish leader, and Gormley are set to appear on the ballot in November. He is seen as one of the leaders of the Toms River Jewish Community Council.
The last Jackson resident to serve on the board, formerly known as the Board of Chosen Freeholders, was Frank Holman, whose tenure ran from 1916 to 1924.
Since then, residents from other townships and boroughs have filled the powerful posts that oversee Ocean County’s budget, infrastructure, and social services.
Current commissioners hail from a range of municipalities, none of which include Jackson. They are: John P. Kelly of Eagleswood Township (since 1993), Virginia E. Haines of Toms River (since 2016), Frank Sadeghi of Island Heights (since 2024), Robert Arace of Manchester (since 2025), and Jennifer Bacchione of Berkeley Township (since 2025).
Board makeup reflects broader regional shifts
The current board composition underscores both population trends and political alignments that have shaped representation across Ocean County. Jackson, one of the county’s fastest-growing municipalities and home to more than 60,000 residents, has not secured a seat at the county’s governing table in more than a century.
The absence of Jackson voices on the board has drawn periodic concern from local residents and civic leaders, though party leaders have largely pointed to internal selection processes and geographic balance in defending nominee choices. Party conventions typically determine which candidates are placed on the ballot, with heavy influence from party leadership.
Despite its growth and political activity, Jackson has not been successful in advancing a candidate through the county’s political machinery.
With Ellenbogen and Gormley poised to join or continue on the board following the general election, the political makeup of the body is expected to remain consistent with prior years—both in party affiliation and geographic concentration.
