LAWRENCE: No surprises in primary results

There were no surprises in Tuesday’s mostly uncontested Democratic and Republican primaries, as Lawrence Township voters followed their counterparts both countywide and statewide.

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   There were no surprises in Tuesday’s mostly uncontested Democratic and Republican primaries, as Lawrence Township voters followed their counterparts both countywide and statewide.
   The vote tally reflects the number of ballots cast for a candidate by Lawrence Township’s registered Democrats and Republicans. It does not include the total number of ballots cast for candidates for county and state elected offices by voters in Mercer County and the 15th Legislative District.
   There was no contest for the Democratic and Republican party nominees for Township Council.
   Democratic incumbent Councilman Stephen Brame received 588 votes and Democratic incumbent Councilman Jim Kownacki — who is serving his second year in the honorary position of mayor — received 631 votes. Republican Party candidates Glenn Collins and Max Ramos received 517 and 530 votes, respectively.
   Elsewhere on the primary ballot, incumbent Republican Gov. Chris Christie received 538 votes and his challenger, Seth Grossman, earned 42 votes. On the Democrat side, state Sen. Barbara Buono received 600 votes and Troy Webster got 39 votes.
   There were no contests for the Democratic or Republican nominees for the state Senate, the state Assembly and the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
   In the 15th Legislative District primary for state Senate, incumbent Democratic state Senator Shirley K. Turner received 674 votes. Republican Party nominee Don Cox got 519 votes.
   Incumbent Democratic Assembly members Reed Gusciora received 639 votes and Bonnie Watson-Coleman received 647 votes. Republican Party nominees Kim Taylor and Anthony Giordano received 513 votes and 512 votes, respectively.
   And in the primary for the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders, incumbent Democratic Freeholders Anthony Carabelli and Andrew Koontz got 646 votes and 606 votes, respectively. Their Republican Party challengers, Ron Cefalone and Paul Hummel, received 514 votes and 502 votes, respectively.
   The winners of Tuesday’s Democratic and Republican party primaries will square off in the Nov. 5 general election.