Unofficial Results: GOP Sweeps CMCo Races

COURT HOUSE – Unofficial results for the Nov. 2 general election showed 38,432 ballots cast out of 74,494 registered voters, as of 9 a.m. Nov. 9, with a turnout of nearly 52%. 
The results, published on the Cape May County Clerk’s election website, include tallies from Election Day voting machines, early voting, and mail-in ballots. They do not include provisional ballots or mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day, which were able to be received until Nov. 8.
Governor
Republican Jack Ciattarelli won Cape May County, with 23,828 votes. Challengers were Democrat Philip Murphy, 13,950; Green Party Madelyn R. Hoffman, 85; Libertarian Party Gregg Mele, 72; and Socialist Workers Party Joanne Kuniansky, 56.There were also 12 write-in votes.  
Statewide, Murphy received 1,285,457; Ciattarelli, 1,220,003; Hoffman, 8,010; Mele, 7,452; and Kuniansky, 3,790, according to The Associated Press (AP).
Murphy was declared the winner; however, Ciattarellihas yet to concede and may request a recount, per media reports.  
In a race he was expected to easily win, Murphy narrowly became the first Democrat to win reelection as New Jersey’s governor since 1977.
State Senate
Republican incumbent Michael Testa, with 24,401 votes in Cape May County, outpolled Democratic challenger Yolanda E. Garcia Balicki, who received 11,884 votes. There were also three write-in votes.
In the First Legislative District, which includes Cape May, as well as parts of Cumberland and Atlantic counties, Testa received 41,432 votes to Balicki’s 22,715, according to AP.
General Assembly 
In Cape May County, Republican incumbents Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan received 24,073 and 23,703 votes, respectively, while Democratic challengers John P. Capizola Jr. and Julia L. Hankerson received 11,712 and 11,518 votes, respectively, and Libertarian Party challengers Michael Gallo and Jacob Selwood received 261 and 169 votes, respectively. There were also 11 write-in votes.
In the First Legislative District, Simonsen received 39,837 votes; McClellan, 39,450; Capizola, 23,269; Hankerson, 22,522; Gallo, 571; and Selwood, 382, per AP.
County Races
County Commissioner
Republican incumbent Leonard Desiderio won reelection in an uncontested race,with 26,245 votes.There were190 write-in votes.
Municipal Races
Cape May
In an uncontested race, incumbent Lorraine M. Baldwin will return to Cape May City Council, with 746 votes. There were 38 write-in votes.
Dennis Township
Also, in an uncontested race, Republican incumbent Frank L. Germanio Jr. won reelection to Dennis Township Committee, with 2,051 votes. There were 27 write-in votes.
Middle Township
Republican incumbent Theron (Ike) Gandy outpolled Democrat QuanetteVasser-McNeal, with 4,548 votes to Vasser-McNeal’s 2,453. There was one write-in vote.
North Wildwood
In an uncontested race for mayor, Republican incumbent Patrick Rosenello retained his seat, with 1,145 votes. There were 11 write-in votes.
Other Republican incumbents returning to North Wildwood City Councilinclude: Council-at-Large Salvatore Zampirri, with 1,125 votes (7 write-in votes); 1st Ward, James Kane, with 612 votes to DemocratMaria G. Mattera’s 214; and 2nd Ward, Joseph V. Rullo, with 455 votes (3 write-in votes).
Ocean City
Terrence Crowley Jr., who was appointed to fill the unexpired termof 1st Ward Councilman Michael DeVlieger, won the seat, with 706 votes.
Challengers Donna Moore and Donna Swan DeRocher received 418 and 157 votes, respectively.There were two write-in votes.
Stone Harbor
In an uncontested race, newcomerBernadette (Bunny) Parzych, who is a Republican, won one of two seats on Stone Harbor Borough Council, with 296 votes. Joining her is Republican incumbent Frank Dallahan, with 277 votes. There were 19 write-in votes.
Parzych’s husband, Ray Parzych, who is a current council member, decided not to run for reelection this year.  
Upper Township
Republicans won three seats on Upper Township Committee.
Newcomer John C. (Jay) Newman and incumbent Kimberly R. Hayes, both Republicans, defeated Democrats Lenora BoninfanteKodytekand Christina (Cricket) Denton, and independents Andrew Shawl and Anthony Inserra for two, three-year terms.Newman received 3,209 votes; Hayes, 3,012; Kodytek, 1,712; Denton, 1,700; Shawl, 859; andInserra, 787. There were six write-in votes.
Republican Mark Pancoast, with 2,943 votes, outpolledDemocrat Shawna Mulfordand independent John J. Griffin Jr., with 1,833 and 884 votes, respectively. There was one write-in vote.
West Cape May
With three seats open, incumbents Peter C. Burke, with 379 votes, and Carol Sabo, with 370 votes, will return to West Cape May Borough Commission. Joining them is newcomer Daniel Kurkowski, with 344 votes. 
Incumbent John H. Francis III, with 258 votes, will not return to the governing body.There were 18 write-in votes.
Wildwood Crest
One incumbent, Don Cabrera,with 922 votes, will return to Wildwood Crest Borough Commission. Joining him are newcomers Joseph Franco Jr., with 746 votes, and Joseph M. Schiff, with 546 votes.Commissioner Joyce P. Gouldreceived 543 votes; Commissioner David Thompson, 398; and Darleen Devlin, 342. There were four write-in votes.
Woodbine
Unchallenged Republican incumbents Michael E. Benson and Joseph E. Johnson III received 288 and 262 votes, respectively, and will return to their seats on Woodbine Borough Council.
Ballot Questions
State Question 1
A statewide question asked whether New Jersey should permit wagering through casinos and current or former horse racetracks on all college sport or athletic events. In Cape May County, 18,662 voted no, while 12,926 votes yes. In New Jersey, 1,167,210 voted no, and878,248 voted yes, according to AP.
State Question 2
A second statewide question asked whether New Jersey should allow certain organizations that conduct games of chance to use the proceeds from those games to support the organization. In Cape May County, 20,694 voted yes, while 10,726 voted no. Statewide, 1,290,846 voted yes, and 722,659 voted no, according to AP.
ED. NOTE: School board results can be viewed at capemaycountyvotes.com.