By Stephanie Prokop, Staff Writer
NEW HANOVER—Late Wednesday, the final vote count for the New Hanover Township Committee race including absentee ballots was posted on the Burlington County freeholders’ Web site, showing a tie between the two candidates.
Democratic candidate Sharon Atkinson and Republican incumbent Dennis Roohr each received 170 votes.
On election night, Nov. 6, the votes were 165-161 in Mr. Roohr’s favor.
According to Burlington County Deputy Clerk Wade Hale, there were four absentee ballots and one provisional ballot submitted for Mr. Roohr. There were six absentee and three provisional ballots submitted for Ms. Atkinson.
“These results would lend themselves to a special election,” said Mr. Hale on Thursday afternoon.
“It would literally just be an election for that office, held right in that town.”
A special election was held in Riverside last year, he said, in which two Republican candidates were tied for one council seat.
The special election would be run like any other election, but on a compressed time scale, he added. The earliest date on which a special election could be held is not yet known, said Mr. Hale.
According to the county, as of Thursday, no one had officially filed for a recount. The deadline to file is Nov. 21.
Mr. Hale added that the results were in the process of being certified on Thursday, and will be sent to the state by the beginning of next week.
