Matawan Republican incumbents Councilman Tom Fitzsimmons (l) and Mayor Paul Buccellato tally the votes at election night headquarters. NICOLE ANTONUCCI MATAWAN — Minutes before the tide of the election tipped in favor of incumbent Republicans, the atmosphere at Republican headquarters at the Buttonwood Manor on Election Night was filled with anxious anticipation.
Mayor Paul Buccellato paced the room, cell phone in hand, checking his watch as each minute drew closer to 8 p.m.
“It’s 8! The polls are closed,” Buccellato shouted.
Councilman Tom Fitzsimmons checked the Monmouth County website and made calls to determine if any vote tallies had come in yet.
As the numbers slowly arrived, it was apparent that the Democrats were going to put up a fight.
When the results were in, however, Buccellato had won re-election to a second three-year term, garnering 1,089 votes, a 237-vote margin over Democratic challenger Adele Sammarco, who drew 852 votes.
Republican incumbent council members Joseph Urbano and Fitzsimmons also were reelected to second terms on the Borough Council with tallies of 1,054 votes and 1,046, respectively, of the 3,791 votes cast.
They held off Democratic challengers William Cole, who received 863 votes, and Peggy Devlin Blazewicz, who garnered 822 votes in her run as an independent candidate.
Vote totals are unofficial until certified by the Monmouth County Board of Elections.
Before the borough’s GOP contingent celebrated the victory with family and supporters, early results made the outcome of the Nov. 8 municipal election unclear.
In District 2, the first results to arrive, the vote was split 115 with Democratic mayoral candidate Adele Sammarco holding the lead to Buccellato’s 80 votes. The council race saw similar results.
District 5 arrived next and while Buccellato rallied with 132 votes to Sammarco’s 122, the Democrats still held the lead.
“These are the districts that we always do bad in,” Buccellato said to the disgruntled crowd.
However, District 1 tallies arrived next and Sammarco pulled ahead further, with 117 votes to Buccellato’s 88.
The last four districts seemed to arrive at once and Buccellato decided to play to the crowd, putting Sammarco’s numbers up first.
“Uh-oh, he is up to something,” someone yelled. “His numbers must be good.”
Buccellato posted his numbers, and as his numbers rose, taking the lead away from Sammarco, the crowd cheered louder.
When results arrived for Districts 6 and 7, he gained the most votes and actually asked someone to double-check the numbers.
“I don’t believe these numbers are right,” Buccellato said.
In District 6, the votes were 211 to 133 in favor of the incumbent mayor while the balance in District 7 was 144 to 64.
With victory certain, the mayor owned the vote as a mandate from residents.
“The numbers speak volumes. What we have been doing proves we are dedicated to the residents,” Buccellato said.
“People heard our message and really know what is going on in town,” Fitzsimmons said.
“It’s an honor and privilege to be serving Matawan residents again,” Buccellato said. “I think the work we have been doing for the past four years has put Matawan back on a stable foundation and we will continue to work for all the residents of Matawan.
Sammarco, a newcomer to the Matawan political arena, said despite her loss, she was pleasantly surprised by the results.
“With only five months to campaign we were only 200 votes shy. I think that is pretty good,” Sammarco said in an interview on Nov. 9.
“I was a virtual unknown running against the incumbent mayor who has been serving on the council for 10 years, so the numbers reveal a lot.”