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quick summary

John P. Capizola

John Capizola, Jr., a former Cumberland County Commissioner and longtime educator, is once again seeking office—this time on a joint Democratic ticket with attorney Yolanda Garcia Balicki. The pair recently launched a Facebook page, emphasizing their goal to “restore a successful county government” through the lens of past Democratic leadership: low taxes, private-sector growth, and expanded educational programs.

Capizola previously emphasized fiscal responsibility, infrastructure, and education as policy priorities. However, like his running mate, his current platform lacks detailed updates. Aside from general messaging, there are few specifics about where he stands today or how his views compare to Republican opponents.

Given that two commissioner seats are open and only three Democrats are competing, at least one—possibly both—of these candidates will likely move on to the general election. That dynamic raises the bar for transparency and preparedness, and voters deserve to see not only biographical qualifications, but also clear positions on county-specific challenges and how these candidates plan to address them in contrast with the incumbents.

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Rating Explanation

John P. Capizola

Former Commissioner Capizola has been around the political scene for several years and was appointed mid-year for his prior term as a county commissioner. With his brief time in office and prior campaigns, we can reasonably assume he’s familiar with the issues facing Cumberland County and the public expectations of a candidate running in 2025.

Which makes it all the more surprising that his public-facing materials don't reflect that experience. His official bio doesn't even mention his time as commissioner—an omission that raises questions about how seriously his campaign is treating voter outreach this cycle.

To his credit, Capizola is known for logging countless hours door-knocking and attending political events during previous campaigns. But at a time when voters are increasingly turning to digital platforms for information, and when tools like Wix can host a campaign site in an afternoon, this traditional approach feels out of step. A well-organized candidate in 2025 should be able to share their positions widely and efficiently—not just face-to-face with those lucky enough to get a knock on their door, have spare time to attend events, or listen to phased out radio stations.

And that’s part of what makes this accessibility issue so glaring: Capizola lives within minutes of us. If, after two years of proactively reaching out to local candidates—including those in our own neighborhood—we still don’t have basic answers, what should the average voter expect?

At this stage in the game, candidates who know each other and have both served in public roles should be capable of articulating not just their own stance on key issues like the Nabb Ave Extension, but also how their platform compares to their opponent’s. Whether framed as a neutral comparison or a pointed critique, clarity is what matters—and right now, voters don’t have it.

That said, the rating is not permanent. Candidates with low transparency scores can improve them by clearly documenting their campaign messaging: filling out questionnaires, maintaining a basic campaign website, participating in podcast-style interviews, and sharing that information with us for public access. It’s not about giving us attention, candidates can create the content how they want— but the content should exist and be easily accessible to voters.

Ultimately, the root problem is often not a refusal to cooperate, but the absence of clear information in the first place. When representatives speculate that we're trying to "break a story," or accuse us of partisan motivations, they miss the point entirely. It’s 2025. The county should already be doing a better job helping residents understand their options for leadership. This platform simply serves as a proof-of-concept to fill the gap, though the county probably should do it themselves after getting the state legislature to change the laws to allow it.

For these reasons, Capizola receives a below-average rating for transparency and accessibility.

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John P. Capizola

Running for:
Cumberland County Commissioner
Incumbent
Challenger

Websites

This election is on June 10th, 2025

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Transparency/Accessibility Rating: Low

Agenda

As of April 16th, the only info available regarding Capizola's current primary campaign is on the


Info Collected From PRIOR Elections

Agenda

  • Educational excellence by supporting schools and providing lifelong learning opportunities
  • Environmental sustainability by protecting our natural resources for future generations
  • Fiscal responsibility by ensuring efficient use of taxpayer dollars
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  • Improve roads/infrastructure/broadband, support senior housing and healthcare, and provide recreational advancements facebook campaign site

policy positions

After reaching out to Capizola multiple times with no substantive response, it is unclear what his current policy positions are. However, we might be able to infer the following from last year's efforts:
  • Supports armed security in schools. (learned from the Candidates Forum held at Bridgeton High School)


Capizola and Austino also brought up an issue regarding South Ave in Bridgeton while on the campaign trail: Source, however it seems as though the issue is in the process of being handled: Source, County Press Release.

Background and Campaign Message

Cumberland County Democrats chose Capizola to serve out an unexpired, one-year term on the county Board of Commissioners, replacing the resigning Castellini. Capizola was sworn in January 24th, 2023. Source
He majored in health and physical education. He has a master's degree in Educational Leadership. He has certifications to be a New Jersey principal and Supervisor. He also has business experience in regards to owning a restaurant and a laundromat.

Experience

NJ District 1 Assemblyman - Sworn in on January 14th 2020 Serving on the following Committees: Community Development and Affairs/Education/State and Local Government Mayor, Lower Township - 2016-2020; Former Ward 2 and ward 3 Councilman Master’s Degree in Education Administration, University of Scranton; Bachelor’s degree, The College of New Jersey, Special Education Degree, Rutgers University

2023 Candidates Forum Statements

When asked what makes him most qualified to serve as Commissioner at the Candidates Forum held at Bridgeton High School, Capizola spoke about how he is just getting his feet wet as an appointed Commissioner. He seemed to convey that he is learning a lot about county politics quickly and has watched his board of commissioners transform from very partisan to mostly non-partisan during his tenure. He hopes to continue that trend. He wants to help attract people who have left the county to come back by helping to entice new business, which he can help with through his business experience. He also seemed to imply that he may be a rising star as he may be the new assistant principal at the school where he works.

When asked about improving transparency and accountability, Capizola spoke about needing to communicate better with the community, the new county website which should be done soon, and needing reporters in the county.

At one point during the forum, Capizola made it clear that he is against school vouchers.