Only one incumbent is among the seven candidates who have filed petitions to run for three open Board of Education seats.

Incumbent Bill Grippo is joined on the “Vote All Three” slate by newcomers Erika Innocencio and Jimmie Parker, III.

Current Board members Michael Smith and Nishita Desai have chosen to not seek re-election. They both will have served two terms at the end of the year.

Also seeking Board seats are Marco Bruno, Loren Long and Deva Villuri, who are running on the “Back to Basics” slate, and newcomer Stefanie Branham.

Long and Bruno ran for the Board in 2022; Villuri ran for the Board in 2020.

School Board president Nancy LaCorte said she was sorry that Smith and Desai had chosen to not run.

“I am sorry that they aren’t” running, LaCorte said. “They are a great asset to the district. They will be missed.”

“Most importantly, they have always been there for the kids,” she said.

Franklin is one of the New Jersey towns that holds Board of Education elections in November, during the general election.