BELLEVILLE, NJ — When Frank Velez lost his bid for a seat on the Belleville Township Council in 2020, he said the “best days were still ahead.” And now the 22-year-old may have proven his prediction correct in the 2024 municipal election.
Belleville held a nonpartisan municipal election earlier this week. Read More: Belleville, Nutley 2024 Election Results (See Local Updates)
On Thursday, Velez claimed victory in the race for town council against Victor Mesce and Gary Hinton in the town’s Second Ward.
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As of Friday, all districts were reported, except for 12.5 percent in the Second Ward, where Velez holds a 143-vote lead over Mesce (Hinton is trailing them in third place).
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Although the results are not certified and there are vote by mail and provisional ballots still left to count in the ward, the margin is apparently enough for Velez to declare himself the winner.
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Here’s what he wrote Thursday:
“I would like to thank the families and residents of the Second Ward for coming out Tuesday to cast your votes for the 2024 Belleville council election. While there are vote by mail and provisional ballots still left to count, it is clear that we have won enough of the vote in both in vote by mail and at the polls on Tuesday to declare victory. The gap between myself and my closest competitor is well over 100 votes.”
Velez ran for town council in 2020, losing that contest to the incumbent, Steven Rovell. But he rebounded quickly, running for the Belleville Board of Education in 2021 – and capturing a seat with flying colors. With his victory, the then-19-year-old became the youngest person ever elected to the school board in the town’s history.
When Rovell decided not to run for re-election in the Second Ward this year – saying that after five terms it was time to “step back” – it left a vacuum of power in the ward, which will apparently be filled by Velez if the incomplete election results stand.
“Despite the deck being stacked against us, the voters of the Second Ward have sent a clear message: It’s time for a change,” Velez wrote Thursday.
“From doing more for special needs families like mine, to standing up for our seniors and children, I will continue to be an independent voice for all Belleville families,” he continued. “I’m proud to also say I will become the youngest councilman in Belleville history, as well as the first Hispanic man to serve on the council. The significance of this victory does not escape me, and I promise I will continue to serve Belleville families on the council with the utmost dedication, passion, and respect for all.”
“Together, we will move Belleville forward,” Velez added.
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