Monmouth officials still in process of certifying vote

Farmingdale residents had full council to fill

BY ANDREW MARTINS
Staff Writer

FARMINGDALE — One month after the 2012 general election was held on Nov. 6, Monmouth County officials have yet to certify the results of municipal elections.

In Farmingdale, residents had the unusual task of electing an entire Borough Council on the same day. The situation occurred when all six members of the governing body resigned during the summer.

In most years, residents of a municipality elect two or three members of their local governing body.

In the wake of the summer’s mass exodus from Farmingdale Borough Hall, one new council member was selected by local Democrats and five new Republican council members were appointed to the governing body by Gov. Chris Christie.

All six seats on the council were on the Election Day ballot; two three-year terms, two two-year terms and two one-year terms.

Monmouth County officials have posted updated vote totals on a website, although those results are unofficial and will remain unofficial until they are certified.

At this point, Republican Michael Romano and Democrat Carly Immen are leading in the race for the two one-year terms with 320 and 313 votes, respectively. Romano and Immen lead Republican George Dyevoich Jr. (307) and Democrat Jan Zientek (308).

In the race for the two two-year terms, Republican Michael Burke and Democrat Richard Geffken have polled 362 and 318 votes, respectively. Burke and Geffken led Republican Joseph Hultmark (304) and Democrat Lorelei Rouvrais (267).

For the two full three-year terms, Republicans James Daly and Patricia Linszky ran unopposed and have an unofficial total of 432 and 397 votes, respectively.

The 2012 election was made more challenging by the arrival of Sandy on Oct. 29. Election officials have said they are dealing with many more absentee ballots and provisional ballots than they have had to count in the past.

In some instances, ballots were faxed to election officials. In other cases, people could not vote at their regular polling location, but were permitted to vote at an alternate location.

Provisional ballots are filled out at a polling place on the date of the election when there is a question regarding a voter’s eligibility. Each provisional vote must be checked by election officials to determine if it was cast by an eligible voter.

Burke, Linszky, Romano, Dyevoich and Hultmark were appointed to the council by Christie to replace a quintet of Republicans who resigned.

Geffken was tapped for his council appointment by local Democrats.

Republican Mayor John P. Morgan was not on the ballot this year.