Democrats want recounts in Eatontown and Howell

Democrats in Eatontown and Howell are hoping that recounts will overturn their narrow losses in municipal races for council seats, NJGlobe reports.

Eatontown council candidate Mariel S. Hufnagel

In Eatontown, Democrat Mariel S. Hufnagel, using the pronoun his, petitioned the court for a recount against Republicans Mark Regan Jr, an incumbent councilman, and James Corcoran. Hufnagel trails Regan by 10 votes, 3,228-3,218 in the unofficial count. Corcoran has 3,105 votes and Democrat Danielle Jones leads the field with 3,250 votes in the election for two seats on the Borough Council.

Hufnagel’s petition says there were 81 votes rejected by the Board of Elections and that there may be more provisional votes that should be counted.

In Howell, Democrat Andre de Garmeaux petitioned for a recount in his contest against Republican Deputy Mayor Evelyn Malsbury-O’Donnell . Malsbury-O’Donnell leads the unofficial count for a seat on the Township Council by 320 votes, 15,415-15,095.

de Garmeaux claims there are 317 ballots that were rejected and that there may be more provisional ballots that should be counted.

If de Garmeaux prevails, partisan control of the Howell governing body will flip to the Democrats.