Republican Michael Whelan prevails over Michael DuPont in Red Bank recount

Bruce Padula, Esq, attorney for the Red Bank Republicans, Joseph Libutti, Monmouth Dem Exec Director, Rajvir S. Goomer, Esq, attorney for Michael DuPont and Bertha Sumick, Special Deputy Clerk of Elections prepare for the recount of Red Bank ballots.

FREEHOLD-Republican Councilman-elect Michael Whelan increased his lead over incumbent Democratic Councilman Michael DuPont after the ballots were recounted this morning by the Monmouth County Board of Elections.  Whelan now leads DuPont by 3 votes, a net pick up of one vote from the unofficial count on November 9 when the provisional ballots were counted by the Board.

All four candidates for the two Red Bank Council seats picked up votes as a result of the hand counting of Vote-By-Mail and Provisional Ballots, which prior to today have been tabulated electronically by a scanner.  The results, which are expected to be certified my Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon today are:  Michael Ballard- 937, Michael Dupont 968, Mark Taylor 1038, Michael Whelan,971.  Republicans Taylor and Whelan have thus far maintained their victory and are on track to join Republican Councilwomen Cindy Burnham and Linda Schwabenbauer in partisan control of Red Bank’s local government for the first time in two decades.

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Red Bank Recount Set For Friday, November 20

The results of the municipal election in Red Bank will be rechecked and recounted on Friday, November 20, 10 a.m., at the Board of Elections office in Freehold, pursuant to a Order by Superior Court Judge Katie A. Gummer.

Judge Gummer’s Order was requested in a petition by Councilman Michael DuPont. DuPont is down two votes to Republican challenger Michael Whelan in the current “unofficial” ballot count.  If Whelan prevails, Red Bank Republicans will hold a 4-2 partisan majority on the Borough Council.   Should DuPont gain three or more votes in the recount, and if those results are not contested, there would be 3-3 partisan split on the Council with Mayor Pat Menna, a Democrat, being the deciding vote.

In her Order dated November 13, Gummer rejected DuPont’s request that rejected absentee (Vote-By-Mail) and provisional ballots be examined and reconsidered.

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DuPont will file for a recount in Red Bank

Red Bank Councilman Michael DuPont. photo via facebook

Democratic Councilman Michael DuPont told MMM that he will file for a recount of the election results in the Borough that having him losing the seat that he has held for nine years to Young Republican Micheal Whalen by 3 votes.

“This is a close race with a very low turnout,” DuPont said in a phone interview with MMM, “It is important that every vote be counted and the result is accurate.”

Recount applications are due with the Board of Elections by November 18.

Red Bank Republican Chairman Sean DiSomma said, “We respect Councilman DuPont’s right to file for a recount.  We’re confident that the result will stand. We’re looking forward to Mark Taylor and Michael Whelan taking office in January and bringing Red Bank into the next generation.”

Taylor and Whelan issued the following joint statement:

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Neptune City Council Race Tied

Neptune City Councilman Richard Pryor

Neptune City Councilman Richard Pryor, a Republican, is tied with Democratic challenger Michael Skudera now that the provisional ballots have been counted.

In the post-Election Day machine count, Pryor trailed Skudera by one vote.

Barring a change in the tally due to a recount, which neither side has announced, there will be a run-off election between Pryor and Skudera, on a date to be determined, most likely in mid-December.

Republicans are said to be reviewing the Vote-By-Mail applications from the City prior to deciding whether to file for a recount. Operatives of the notorious Asbury Park “A Team” are rumored to have managed the Vote-By-Mail operation for the Democrats.

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Red Bank Republicans Hold On To Victory after Provisional Ballots Counted

With the provisional ballots counted this morning by the Board of Elections in Freehold, Republican Council Candidate Michael Whelan has held on to his victory over incumbent Democratic Councilman Michael DuPont.

Whelan was leading DuPont by 4 votes on the voting machine ballots, 963-959. DuPont picked up 5 votes from provisional ballots.  Whelan picked up 4 votes.

Whelan’s running mate, Mark Taylor was the lead vote getter on the machine count with 1,029 votes.  Taylor picked up 4 votes from provisional ballots.

DuPonts running mate, School Board Member Michael Ballard had 925 machine ballot votes.  Ballard picked up 9 votes from provisional ballots.

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2015 elections likely saw lowest voter turnout in N.J. history

TRENTON — This past Tuesday’s elections in New Jersey are likely to make history, according to a prominent pollster — but not in a way that would make Garden State politicians proud. Only 20.8 percent of registered voters in the state turned up to the polls on Election Day, according to a preliminary analysis by Patrick… Read the rest of this entry »

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Teachers Union — and Its Money — Helped Shape Outcome of Assembly Races

Gov. Chris Christie may claim in places like New Hampshire and Iowa that he has tamed New Jersey’s public employee unions, but you wouldn’t have known it from the smile on the face of one union’s leader. “We had a terrific week,” said Wendell Steinhauer, president of the New Jersey Education Association, as his union gathered… Read the rest of this entry »

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How a write-in candidate ousted Oceanport’s incumbent mayor

OCEANPORT — Before the summer, John “Jay” Coffey didn’t have any intentions of becoming the borough’s next mayor. A member of the Board of Education, Coffey was an active participant in the community — but he didn’t start regularly attending Borough Council meetings until after a slew of officials in the borough resigned. The resignations caught… Read the rest of this entry »

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Jay Coffey is Mayor-elect of Oceanport

Oceanport Mayor-elect Jay Coffey

Attorney John F. Coffey II received 949 of the 988 write-in ballots in the Oceanport election for mayor, according to Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon.  Incumbent Mayor Michael Mahon received 721 votes.

All machine and Vote By Mail ballots have been counted. There were 15 provisional ballots cast in Oceanport, which will be counted on November 9.   Jay Coffey is the Mayor-elect of Oceanport.

For Borough  Council, full-term, there were 807 write -in votes. Write-in candidate Cullin Wibble received a total of 694 votes. Candidates John A. Patti received 901 votes and Patricia Cooper received 843 votes.

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Belmar’s controversial boardwalk pavilion narrowly approved by voters

BELMAR — Belmar residents should be getting a new pavilion on the boardwalk after voters Tuesday night narrowly approved a bond ordinance to borrow $4.1 million to rebuild what Hurricane Sandy destroyed three years ago. The approval wasn’t without confusion, though. Shortly after borough officials declared victory with a plan they had pushed and modified for… Read the rest of this entry »

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