JAMESBURG — In an unusual outcome during the June primary election, a write-in candidate edged out the Democratic Party’s candidate for mayor.
Marlene Lowande, a former councilwoman, received 87 write-in votes, defeating Otto Kostbar, who garnered 57. Kostbar, the current Borough Council president, was the Middlesex County Democratic Organization’s nominee for mayor in this November’s election.
The current mayor, Anthony LaMantia, also a Democrat, is not seeking re-election after serving as mayor since 2000.
Republican write-in candidate Darren Larsen received 26 votes in the primary and will be on the November ballot as the GOP candidate for mayor.
Lowande wasn’t the only write-in candidate to edge out a Democratic nominee in the primary. Brian Taylor will run for one of the two three-year council terms available, having beat out incumbent Democrat Brenda Deans. Taylor received 134 votes, with Deans getting 50.
Incumbent Democrat Daria Ludas garnered 156 votes, ensuring her place on the ballot.
Republican write-in candidates Tom Meehan and Samuel Lawrence received 16 and 13 votes respectively.
Lowande is a founding member of the JamesburgArea Chamber of Commerce, and was appointed to the council in October 2000. She served from 2000 to 2003.
Larsen has served on the Jamesburg Board of Education and as general secretary and vice president of the Jamesburg Area Chamber of Commerce.
Ludas, who has served on the council since 2008, is an elementary school teacher and has been active in Jamesburg for many years. Prior to being on the council, she was involved with the Jamesburg Civic Association, Patriotic Committee, Holiday Lighting Committee and the Jamesburg Public Library Board of Trustees. She has also assisted with local political campaigns in the past. She is chairwoman of the council’s Committee on Education, Committee on Safety and leads the Business Outreach Committee.
Taylor has been a resident of Jamesburg since 1992 and has been involved with the Jamesburg Baseball Association and as a Little League coach for many years.