I assume there is more than one because when you google the name "Vernon Richardson" the first thing that comes up is a conviction in 1999 for running drugs in Philadelphia and for criminal conspiracy -- Click here to view

But I also assume that the Hudson County superintendent of elections knows which is which and where they vote.

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I wonder: has anyone really checked to make sure there aren't two Vernon Richardsons?

When I searched Google, I didn't get all that much, but it does seem as there's a Vernon Richardson who was asking for gardening tips for a Jersey City garden back in 1999. I found a current residential listing for a Vernon Richardson in Jersey City. I didn't find a separate Vernon Richardson listing in Hillside, but there are plenty of people out there with unlisted numbers and addresses.

Your topic subject line is incorrect and quite misleading.

The candidate's residency is an issue for the upcoming April 2008 BoE election.

The Jersey City Families for Better Schools support for such candidate was, as in past tense, for the April 2007 BoE election.

http://www.thehillsider.com/?cat=6

A longer excerpt is even more telling:
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In Hillside, Council President Leonard Gilbert is infamous for his raving tirades.

In Atlantic City, he?s no different.

During the League of Municipalities convention in the Eastern Sin City, the council president accosted a Hillside resident, who happens to be a sometime contributor on The Hillsider, and apparently threatened the local activist.

Turns out Gilbert mistakenly thought Vernon Richardson, a regular at Township Council meetings, had been taking Gilbert?s picture to post on The Hillsider. In fact, Richardson has never submitted pictures of Gilbert to this site and didn?t take any of him at Atlantic City. The above picture was available on the township?s Web site.

?After stumbling across the the [Union County Democrats?] reception here in AC while sitting quietly to myself making notes on my Blackberry, I was confronted by President Gilbert,? Richardson tells us. ?He expressed his displeasure with my having taken his picture. I told him that I had not taken any photos of him or anyone else.

?I told him that had I done so it was was permissible as he?s a public figure.?

But Gilbert persisted.

?He said I was sneaking around at the [First Annual Hillside] Street Fair and I was sneaking around again.?

Gilbert insisted he saw a ?flash,? even though Richardson?s cell phone has no camera.

And then the council president says: ?Well, I?ll tell you one thing. If my picture shows up on the internet, I?ll. . .?

?Councilman, do not threaten me. You are a public figure,? Richardson responded.

?I told him that he really shouldn?t do things that he?d have difficulty explaining to his family. By this point we are face to face and everyone within ten feet was staring.

?He reiterated ?Don?t put my picture on the Internet!? There isn?t any picture, councilman, but I told him ?you might find this exchange there, sir.??

http://www.thehillsider.com/?cat=6

I'm no expert but after a quick google search:

It seems Vernon Richardson is talked about a lot on the Hillside NJ blogs and seems very active there -- called a regular at Hillside Township Council meetings:

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Excerpt:
"During the League of Municipalities convention in the Eastern Sin City, the council president accosted a Hillside resident, who happens to be a sometime contributor on The Hillsider, and apparently threatened the local activist.

Turns out Gilbert mistakenly thought Vernon Richardson, a regular at Township Council meetings, had been taking Gilbert?s picture to post on The Hillsider. In fact, Richardson has never submitted pictures of Gilbert to this site and didn?t take any of him at Atlantic City."
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Vernon Richardson himself even writes for that Hillside blog:
http://www.thehillsider.com/?cat=6

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Vernon has lived here for as long as i can remember.This sounds like a hatchet job by someone opposed to the Families for better schools group.
I hope he fights this.

Ed board candidate tripped by residency

Friday, February 29, 2008

Jersey City school board candidate Vernon Richardson has been disqualified from running in the April contest because of a residency problem, school officials said yesterday.

State law requires candidates for school board to be registered voters in the district they are running in for at least a year before the election.

A check by the Hudson County superintendent of elections turned up that Richardson voted on June 12, 2007 in Hillside, said Joann Gilman, the school district's business administrator.

Richardson, who retains the right to challenge the board's findings, didn't return phone calls left for him yesterday.

Richardson was backed by Jersey City Families for Better Schools, a school reform group.

"We would be pretty shocked and disappointed" if what the board is saying turns out to be true, said Jennifer Greely, a spokeswoman for the group.

Twelve candidates filed to run Monday for three seats in the April 15 election.

KEN THORBOURNE