RED BANK – With provisional ballots yet to be counted, Republicans appear to have outdrawn Democrats in the Nov. 3 municipal election, winning two seats on the Borough Council and overturning decades of Democratic dominance.
According to Hedra Siskel, superintendent of elections for Monmouth County, an undetermined number of provisional ballots cast by Red Bank voters remained to be counted on Nov. 5. She said results of the final count are expected to be known by Nov. 9.
The unofficial results show that Republican newcomers Mark Taylor and Michael Whelan garnered 1,029 and 963 votes, respectively, to win the two, three-year terms up for election.
For the Democrats, incumbent Councilman Michael DuPont and board of education member Michael Ballard trailed with 959 and 925, respectively.
If the results stand, Republicans would have a 4-2 council majority for the first time in more than two decades, reversing the current council makeup.
With unofficial results giving the election to the Republican challengers, Democratic Mayor Pasquale Menna was calling for a recount at Democratic headquarters on Broad Street on election night.
“We’re not giving up, there is going to be a recount,” said Menna.
Republican Municipal Chairman Sean DiSomma attributed the win partly to outreach to voters in District 9 on the west side.
“We made a lot of strides into the west side and we are preparing for the future,” he said.