In Plumsted and Upper Freehold townships, incumbents scored relative easy wins on Election Day while challengers won two seats on the Allentown Borough Council.
In Plumsted and Upper Freehold townships, incumbents scored relative easy wins on Election Day while challengers won two seats on the Allentown Borough Council.
Robert H. Schmitt Jr., a Democrat, and Independent candidate Madeline Gavin defeated Republican incumbents Jean Hunter and Audrey Mount Tuesday night.
Mr. Schmitt and Ms. Gavin garnered 428 and 385 votes, respectively, while Ms. Hunter and Ms. Mount received 228 and 225 votes, according to unofficial results released by the county clerk’s office.
Mr. Schmitt is a graduate of Allentown High School and a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He is a manager at Trader Joe’s in Princeton and teaches writing and literature at Temple University and Mercer County College. He is also a member of the borough’s Recreation Commission.
Ms. Gavin previously served as a superintendent for the Lambertville and Port Republic school districts.
Despite having diverse backgrounds, all four candidates pointed to the downtown area as being among the more significant issues facing the borough.
The candidates all expressed a desire to enhance the downtown area through more parking for and overall revitalization efforts.
In Upper Freehold Township, Republican committee incumbents Lorisue H. Mount and Stanley Moslowski Jr. each netted nearly 1,600 votes, while Democratic challenger Florence Foley garnered 721 votes.
Both Ms. Mount and Mr. Moslowski were seeking their third terms to the Township Committee.
During the campaign, incumbents pointed to their record in preserving open space and keeping the township affordable for taxpayers.
Ms. Foley spoke during the campaign about initiating a change in Upper Freehold, and said one of her initiatives would have been to implement a more vigorous economic development plan.
Results were similar in Plumsted Township where Republican incumbents seeking reelection to the Township Committee won convincingly.
Mayor David J. Leutwyler and Committeeman Herb Marinari garnered 1,725 and 1,684 votes while Democratic challengers Mitch Geier and Robert J. Bell Jr. received 509 and 499 votes, respectively.
Meanwhile, Leslie M. Septor and Garret M. Midget III won reelection to the Plumsted Township Board of Education. Larry Witham, also won a two year unexpired term on the board.
Mr. Witham was recently appointed to the board to replace former Board Vice President John Hauge, who resigned after he and his family moved out of the community.
All three candidates ran unopposed.
In addition, Douglas S. Anthony, Patricia Hogan, Tia McLaughlin and Joseph E. Stampe were all elected to the Upper Freehold Regional School District Board of Education.
Like their Plumsted counterparts, the UFRSD candidates ran unopposed.
Mr. Stampe’s election was for a one year unexpired term.