By Vanessa S. Holt, Managing Editor
More than three-quarters of registered voters went to the polls in most area towns in Tuesday’s history-making election. Locally, a close race in Bordentown Township remained uncertain Wednesday as candidates waited for the official vote tally, and Florence voters approved an open space trust fund
Below are unofficial election results as of Wednesday in nine area municipalities, as well as countywide results.
President
Burlington County voters favored Sen. Barack Obama in the presidential election, casting 105,867 votes for the Democratic ticket, while Sen. John McCain received 81,482 votes.
U.S. Senate
New Jersey voters re-elected Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, and Burlington County voters mirrored that choice, with 92,393 votes. Burlington County voters cast 77,851 votes for challenger Republican Dick Zimmer.
3rd District Representative
Republican Chris Myers faced Democrat John Adler in the race for U.S. House of Representatives in the 3rd District. In Burlington County, voters cast 66,336 votes for Democrat John Adler and 61,688 for Republican Chris Myers.
4th District Representative
Republican incumbent Christopher H. Smith received 18,016 votes in Burlington County and challenger Democrat Joshua M. Zeitz received 13,928 votes.
County Clerk
Democrat Timothy Tyler defeated Republican Gary Woodend in the county clerk race, by a margin of 85,693 to 81,309.
Freeholder
Republican incumbents Aubrey Fenton and Stacey Jordan were defeated by Democratic challengers Chris Brown and Maryanne Reinhart. Mr. Brown received 86,095 votes and Ms. Reinhart received 83,838 votes. Mr. Fenton received 82,165 votes and Ms. Jordan received 80,729 votes.
Bordentown City
No municipal races were held in the city, but voters favored Sen. Obama in the presidential race with 1,224 votes. Sen. McCain received 623 votes. A total of 1,882 residents voted, 75 percent of the city’s 2,499 registered voters. The Democratic candidate for District 4 representative, Joshua Zeitz, a Bordentown native, received 888 votes in the city, while Mr. Smith received 852 votes there.
BordentownTownship
Two three-year seats and one one-year unexpired term were available on the Township Committee. Bordentown Township unofficial election results Tuesday night indicated possible victories for Republican Bruce Hill, and Democrats Jason Medina and Jim Cann in a close race. Two three-year Township Committee seats are up for grabs, and one one-year unexpired term. Mr. Hill received 2,182 votes, Mr. Medina received 2,217 votes and Mr. Cann (who sought the one-year seat) received 2,212 votes.
Republican incumbents Robert Delaney received 2,101 votes, and Anita DiMattia received 2,148 votes; Democrat Stephen Monson received 2,173 votes.
Bordentown Township voters favored Sen. Obama in the presidential race, with 2,638 votes to Sen. McCain’s 2,102. A total of 4,833 voters came out to the polls, 77.7 percent of the 6,214 registered voters.
Chesterfield
One three-year term was available on the Township Committee. Incumbent Republican Committeeman Lawrence Durr retained his three-year seat with 1,175 votes. A total of 175 write-in votes were also recorded. Chesterfield voters cast 1,004 votes for Sen. McCain in the presidential election and 1,009 votes for Sen. Obama. In Chesterfield, 2,068 voters, 78.6 percent of its 2,631 registered voters, participated this year.
Fieldsboro
Two three-year seats on the Borough Council were defended by incumbent Democrats David Hansell (174 votes) and Harry Brown (188 votes).
Florence
No municipal races were held in the township, but voters favored Sen. Obama in the presidential race, with 3,068 votes to Sen. McCain’s 2,502. Florence voters also approved a special question by a margin of 2,252 to 1,774, authorizing a tax of 1 cent per $100 of property value to support a municipal Open Space and Farmland and Preservation Trust Fund. The owner of a property assessed at $200,000 would pay an additional $20 per year for 20 years, under the proposal, or $400 over 20 years. A total of 5,684, or 71 percent, of the township’s 7,984 registered voters came to the polls Tuesday.
Mansfield
Two three-year seats on the Township Committee were available this year. Republican incumbents Kenneth Denti received 2,518 votes and Arthur Puglia received 2,612 votes, retaining their seats. There were no Democratic challengers. In the presidential race, Mansfield voters favored Sen. Obama with 2,449 votes and cast 2,244 votes for Sen. McCain. A total of 4,878 voters, 78.5 percent of the 6,212 voters registered, participated in the election.
New Hanover
Four candidates sought two three-year seats on the Township Committee. Republicans George Ivins and Paul Peterla won the two three-year seats with 244 and 225 votes, respectively. Democratic challengers Salvatore Schiano Jr., and Michael C. Hill, Jr. received 180 and 175 votes, respectively. New Hanover voters favored Sen. McCain in the presidential election, with 249 votes to Sen. Obama’s 178. A total of 442 voters came to the polls in New Hanover. The total number of registered voters was not available immediately.
North Hanover
One three-year seat was open on the Township Committee. Township Committeeman Lou DeLorenzo, a Republican, defended his three-year seat with 1,228 votes. Challenger Democrat Kim South received 870 votes. North Hanover voters cast 1,254 votes for Sen. McCain in the presidential election, and 940 votes for Sen. Obama. A total of 2,239 voters, 67 percent of the 3,334 registered, voted this year.
Springfield
Republican incumbents David Frank and John Hlubik retained their four-year Township Committee seats with 1,040 and 1,162 votes, respectively. Challenger Democrat Roger Lord received 614 votes. A number of write-in votes were also recorded, including 119 for John Megariotis. Springfield voters favored Sen. McCain in the presidential election, with 1,028 votes to Sen. Obama’s 735. A total of 1,814 voters participated in the election, about 77 percent of the township’s 2,358 registered voters.