Disputed Asbury Park Election Ballots Will Not Be Opened

By Asbury Park Sun

A Monmouth County Superior Court judge has ruled that 252 rejected vote by mail [VBM] ballots in the Asbury Park city council election should not be opened.

The number of ballots at issue were enough to change the election results.

Daniel Harris III, an unsuccessful candidate on the A-Team slate, filed the legal challenge to the May 14 election. His A-Team running mates Jim Keady and Duanne Small were 178 votes away from unseating Mayor Myra Campbell and Deputy Mayor Susan Henderson, the two lowest vote-getters who won seats on the five-member city council.

Harris’s attorney, Kristie Howard of Montclair, said Harris will appeal the decision.

“Definitely. Immediately,” she said.

The 252 ballots subject to the ruling today by Judge Dennis O’Brien were disqualified by the Monmouth County Board of Elections. The board had ruled that handwriting on the applications for the ballots indicated other individuals provided assistance to the voter in filling out the applications.

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Can Republicans Have A Role In Asbury Park?

When last we heard of Republicans in Asbury Park, Municipal GOP Chairwoman Louis Murray was making national news by calling for a ban of beachwear on the boardwalk.  That didn’t go the way Murray planned.

By some numbers, Asbury Park looks like a waste of time for Republicans. Only 464 of the city’s registered 7,404 voters are Republicans.  2,723 are Democrats and 4,209 are Unaffiliated, according to Wikipedia.

By other numbers, no one in New Jersey should ignore Asbury Park.  New Jersey taxpayers fund the city’s schools and municipal government.  Trenton sent $57.6 million to Asbury Park for its schools in 2011-2012 and $9.5 million for its current municipal budget.

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