Republicans kept complete control of the Hillsborough Township Committee by re-electing current mayor Carl Suraci and his newcomer running mate, Greg Burchette, on Tuesday.
The GOP easily outdistanced two Democrats, Michael Goldberg and James Farley, and an independent, Judd Mandel, for two three-year terms.
Republicans hold all five governing body seats.
Suraci had 8,598 votes and Burchette 7,960. Mr. Farley, the owner of a chimney sweep company, got 6,098 and Goldberg, the township party chairman, got 5,867. Mr. Mandel received 554.
About 60 percent of the township’s 26,570 voters cast ballots.
The election by Hurricane Sandy, which forced the postponement and then the cancellation of the only joint appearance – a question-and-answer session to be run by high school students — in the last eight days of the campaign.
Election Day was marked by the relocation of 14 of the township’s 34 voting districts because of lack of power to facilities in the days before the election. All 14 districts polled in the high school gymnasium.
Election workers said voters seemed to like the ample parking and social atmosphere of one big room. Poll workers said they thought the site worked well, although some who had kitchen facilities at the “normal” poll said they would rather be back there.
The major glitch was in one district 19, which used to poll at Mary, Mother of God Church. While it had construction in the last few years, all four of the polls there moved to the municipal building. This year, starting with the June primary, three returned to the church and one stayed at the municipal building.
When election organizers put a sign at the church telling people to go to the high school, that one district’s voters were told their correct poll was the municipal building. Some who didn’t want to move again voted by provisional ballot.

