Claims that Democratic leaders in Dover openly helped Republican Jack Ciattarelli in last year’s gubernatorial election, the full Morris County Democratic Committee has voted to remove all 24 elected members of the local Democratic county committee from office.
The vote, conducted over a 48-hour period that began on March 17, drew a nearly unanimous rebuke for Democrats allied with Dover Mayor James P. Dodd, who publicly endorsed Ciattarelli: 96% of the Morris Democrats voted to remove the Dover committee members.
The Dover group all backed Republican incumbent Christian Barranco (R-Jefferson) for re-election; he was defeated by Democrat Marisa Sweeney (D-Morristown).
Democrat Mikie Sherrill, who represented Dover in Congress, still emerged withg a 68%-30% victory in her race for governor against Ciattarelli. In the Assembly race, Sweeney was the top vote-getter with 2,279, followed by her running mate, Morristown Councilman Steve Pylpchuk (2,086) Incumbent Aura Dunn (R-Mendham) finished third with 1,129 votes, 66 votes ahead of Barranco, the lone Hispanic Republican member of the Assembly before his loss.
The accusation also included the promotion of unsuccessful write-in and Republican candidates against the Democratic primary winners for council last year:
Bylaws required a 2/3 vote to remove; 408 of the 608 county committee members from across Morris voted in a contest where each of the 24 committee members was considered in a separate vote.
“This decision reflects our commitment to accountability, unity, and the integrity of the Democratic Party in Morris County,” said Morris County Democratic Chair Darcy Draeger. “Our bylaws exist to ensure that all members support Democratic candidates and conduct themselves in a manner consistent with our shared values.”
Dodd himself was removed.
Now the county Democratic organization may appoint county committee members to fill the 24 vacancies.
The Dodd group was also accused of violating the county party’s anti-harassment policy by creating and distributing offensive and demeaning election materials targeting council candidate Daniela Mendez.
The vote was a culmination of a months-long review of allegations of party disloyalty in Dover, where Democratic leaders had a history of playing both sides. Dodd endorsed Republican Gov. Chris Christie in 2013 and saw his county committee and local governing body slate lose control in 2018. Over 70% of Dover’s population is Hispanic, but most of Dodd’s county committee were white.
Dodd and the other 23 county committee members were offered a chance to participate in a hearing on their removal, but none attended.
In 2019, Dodd, the incumbent mayor, ran for re-election as an independent but lost to Democrat Carolyn Blackman by about 50 votes. In 2023, Dodd defeated Blackman in the Democratic primary and returned to office.
The removed county committee members are: Antonio Acosta; Connie Acosta; Annamarie Amaya; Julia Amaya; Fernando Barrios; Guadalupe Barrios; Maria Borda; Elva Derodriguez; Michelle Espada; Thomas Hubert; Thomas Incera; Thomas Macdonald; Maureen Mcgrath; Mafer Orrala; Victoria Pinales-Diaz; Washington Pro; Cassandra Quintero; Arturo Santana; Michael Scarneo; Maria Solines; Claudia Toro; Jesus Torres; James Visioli, and Dodd.
