TOMS RIVER – In what probably came as little surprise, Republicans won in local elections in a very conservative area of New Jersey.
While the nation – and perhaps the world – is talking about Donald Trump’s win, some elections close to home will affect your lives as well.
Many of these elections were for school boards. School board candidates are not allowed to note their political affiliations, so they include a short slogan instead.
These are unofficial results because it takes a few weeks for the Election Board to certify them.
Toms River
There was one, one-year term on the Township Council on the ballot. This was to fill the Ward 2 spot that Mayor Daniel Rodrick vacated when he won the mayoral election last year. Republican William R. Byrne won the spot with 8,330 votes to Democrat Zach Dougherty’s 4,693. There were 15 write-ins.
“William Byrne’s victory demonstrates that the people of Toms River are happy with the new direction we are setting. I want to congratulate him. Bill worked so hard in the campaign and I’m confident that he’ll work even harder on council for the people of Toms River,” Rodrick told The Toms River Times after results came in on election night.
“I would like to sincerely congratulate Mr. Byrne on the victory. I wish him all the best as he takes this next step in leading our town forward,” Dougherty told The Toms River Times.
There were two, three-year terms on the Board of Education representing Toms River on the ballot this year. They were won by previous board member Lisa Contessa and newcomer Maria Matarazzo.
Lisa Contessa was using the slogan “Fight! Fight! Fight!” She received 15,838 votes.
Maria Matarazzo was using the slogan “Students First.” She received 14,322 votes.
Incumbent Jennifer Howe was using the slogan “Advocating Educational Funding.” She received 14,223 votes.
Diane Oxley, Matarazzo’s running mate, received 10,521 votes.
There were 497 write-ins.
Berkeley
There were three, three-year spots on the ballot for the Berkeley Board of Education, which oversees the four elementary schools.
John MacMoyle, 11,084 votes, Anne Marie Trethaway, 11,042 votes, and Joseph R. Palmerson, 9,784 votes, were running under the slogan “Students Family First.” They were unopposed. There were 229 write-ins.
Two, three-year terms representing Berkeley on the Central Regional Board of Education were on the ballot.
Incumbents Merissa Borawski and Heather Koenig were using the slogan “Supporting Parental Choice.” They won re-election with 7,075 and 6,346 votes respectively.
Megan Bowens, 4,335 votes, and Danielle N. Grochowicz, 3,617 votes, were using the slogan “Education, Integrity, Unity.”
Lisa Vargas, 3,108 votes, was using the slogan “Putting Students First.”
Carol M. Cousins, 2,121 votes, and Kia Phua, 1,401 votes, were using the slogan “Educating With Integrity.”
There were 103 write-ins.
Island Heights
The Island Heights representative on the Central Regional Board of Education, Susan Cowdrick, ran for re-election to a three-year term. She received 326 votes. There were three write-ins. No one filed a petition to run against her.
Ocean Gate
There were two, three-year terms available on the Borough Council. Republicans James H. Fry, 628 votes, and Russell Ernst, 627 votes, beat Democrat Dennis O’Leary, Jr. who took home 479 votes. There were eight write-ins.
There were two, three-year terms on the ballot for the Ocean Gate Board of Education. Daniel Fleming received 523 votes. His slogan was “Children First Always.” Andrew Scott didn’t have a slogan. He received 451 votes. There were 26 write-ins.
No one filed a petition to run for an unexpired two-year term. There were 50 write-ins.
Pine Beach
Republicans James Saxton and James Keesling ran for the two, three-year terms on the Borough Council. They received 995 and 971 votes, respectively. No Democrats filed to run.
South Toms River
There were two, three-year terms on the Borough Council on the ballot. Republicans Sam Fennell, 708 votes, and Kayla Rolzhausen, 703 votes, beat Democrats GiGi Esparza, 524 votes, and Denise Davis, 497 votes. There were five write-ins.
Joseph Jubert (Honesty, Integrity, Tradition) won the three-year South Toms River spot on the Toms River Board of Education with 419 votes over Krista Whittaker (Make STR Matter) who received 399 votes. There were seven write-ins.
