 Dear Salem County Resident The election results are in.
Election Results
Salem County Freeholder Beth Timberman re-elected,
Republican newcomer Ben Laury top vote-getter
By Randall Clark
November 04, 2009, 12:00AM
Salem County Freeholder Beth Timberman was re-elected for a third term Tuesday.
Salem County Republican freeholder candidate Ben Laury was the top vote-getter Tuesday.
SALEM — The scales tipped closer to a balance between political parties following Tuesday’s freeholder election, and for the first time in more than a decade the board will have representation from the eastern side of the county.
Republican newcomer Ben Laury reigned as the top vote-getter this year with 10,603 votes, with Democrat incumbent Beth Timberman reclaiming her seat with 9,464.
Laury, 54, of Elmer, will become the first person to serve from that area of Salem County since 1995. Ousting Democrat incumbent Jeffrey Hogan, Laury has found redemption after losing to his running mate by just seven votes last year.
“I feel fantastic. A lot different than last year,” Laury said after being declared the winner. “We worked very hard for the past nine months to get to this point.”
Republican newcomer Stacy Jennings took the third most votes with 8,806 while Hogan garnered 8,142. Rounding out the ticket were Independent candidates Edmund Spinelli Sr. (1,056 votes) and Ken James (1,055 votes).
“I’m happy that the voters had confidence in me to return me to office,” Timberman said. “I think it’s one of those tides, when the top of the ticket is sweeping Republican sometimes it sweeps all the way down.”
Although Democrats will still hold a 4-3 majority on the seven-member freeholder board, suddenly the 6-1 Democrat edge held just two years ago seems like the distant past, according to Salem County Democrat Party Chairman Steve Caltabiano.
“What do the numbers tell us? They tell us that we peaked at some point along the line here,” said Caltabiano. “I don’t know if I would change anything in the campaign. It’s just the voters have spoken. Now we will evaluate the results and pick up the pieces from there.”
Salem County Republican Party Chairman Michael Facemyer said that the results are an indication of the sincere and honest campaign his party put forth, adding it was a somewhat shallow victory with Jennings’ unsuccessful bid.
(Yes but lets urge Stacy to go again just like Ben did! Meet her once and you will be impressed. She deserved to, and did beat incumbant Hogan, it's just Beth edged her out)
“It was a good year for our team,” Facemyer said. “It’s because right now our guys are working hard, I think people can relate to our message and the values that we stand for.”
He said that the gubernatorial victory of Republican Chris Christie and the voters who turned out to support him may have made some difference, but locally people just saw a good candidate in Laury.
“Pittsgrove is the second most populous municipality in the county,” Facemyer said. “For them to go this period of time without representation, it’s going to be a good thing for Salem County and especially the people on the eastern part of the county.”
As a member of the Elmer Board of Education for a decade and a member of the Elmer Borough Council for eight, five as council president, Laury says he has been a champion of reducing government spending by sharing services and working harder as leaders.
He also brings a wealth of experience managing budgets and people as the owner of Laury Heating Company. On day one in office he said he is going to hit the ground running by making sure the board forms a strong coalition.
Timberman, 48, of Woodstown, has run on a platform centered on her efforts to improve the county-owned short line railroad, implement the county tourism campaign and preserve farmland.
This will be the registered nurse’s third term serving on the Salem County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Of the six candidates vying for the two open seats, Timberman came in with the most freeholder experience.
After three years in office, county voters decided not to invite Hogan back for another term this year, some of which could be attributed to a great deal of negative campaigning against him in the weeks leading up to election day.
Hogan, 62, of Pennsville, was criticized for filing for bankruptcy some 23 years ago as a young entrepreneur, though he rebounded to operate a restaurant business successfully for more than 20 years after that.
Calling himself an advocate for every resident, Hogan said he helped establish drive-through flu shot clinics, online auctions, a countywide career expo and creation of a children’s welfare advisory board.
Jennings, 47, of Carneys Point, came into the race with little political experience and a voting record that became a sticking point with her opponents, though still had a powerful presence at the polls. The well-educated college instructor said she would bring a fresh perspective and some fresh ideas to expand the local economy.
Chief among them was a plan to build a regional juvenile detention center.
Party leaders note that the balance of power seems to be cyclical, and that over a long enough period the pendulum swings both ways.
In 2007 the GOP seated just one candidate in Julie Acton, who took on an unexpired term and later that year won a race of her own as the county’s top vote-getter. Acton was joined in 2008 by Dale Cross despite Democrats coming in as the heavy favorites, riding a wave of success created by President Barack Obama.
Caltabiano said if Democrats want to continue to hold on, there will be some tough choices ahead.
“Freeholders need to go back and look at this budget and make drastic decisions and cuts,” Caltabiano said. “Up and down the state people are voting with their wallet. Despite all the good things this freeholder board has done, they have more to do.”
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Local Results:
Town-by-town Salem County Election 2009 results
By Today's Sunbeam
November 03, 2009, 11:46PM
SALEM — Salem County voters went to the polls Tuesday to chose candidates from governor to municipal posts.
Of Salem County’s 44,037 registered voters, 43.87 percent or 19,318 voters cast ballots in this election.
This year’s turnout was much lower than last year’s presidential election when 71 percent or 31,000 of the county’s approximately 44,000 registered voters went to the polls.
Following are the results from Tuesday’s election in Salem County.
The tallies include votes cast at the polls and mail-in ballots. They do not include provisional ballots or write-ins which will be counted beginning Wednesday.
All results are unofficial until certified.
GOVERNOR
(Salem County totals only)
Republican Chris Christie and running mate Kim Guadagno received 9,575 votes to win Salem County. Incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine and running mate Loretta Weinberg received 8,260 votes while Independent Chris Daggett and his running mate Frank Esposito received 2,003 votes here.
THIRD DISTRICT
ASSEMBLY
(Salem County totals only)
Incumbent Democrat John Burzichelli received 11,110 votes, Republican Robert Villare received 9,427 votes, Democrat Celeste Riley received 9,365 votes and Republican Lee Lucas received 8,398 votes.
There were 54 write-in votes.
STATE QUESTION
(Salem County results only)
Question No. 1: $400M preservation bond. Yes: 11,594; No: 8,460.
FREEHOLDER
Two three-year seats are open on the board.
Republican Ben Laury received 10,603 votes and incumbent Democrat Beth Timberman received 9,464 votes to win the board seats. Incumbent Democrat Jeff Hogan lost his seat after receiving only 8,142 votes. Republican Stacy P. Jennings received 8,806 votes. Independent candidates Ken James and Ed Spinelli Sr. received 1,055 and 1,056 votes respectively.
There were 51 write-in votes.
SHERIFF
One three-year term open.
Republican incumbent Chuck Miller was re-elected with 17,392 votes.
Miller faced no Democrat challenger.
There were 328 write-in votes.
COUNTY CLERK
One five-year term is open.
Incumbent Republican Gilda T. Gill won a third term with 10,591 votes. Democrat challenger Diane Wood received 8,984 votes.
There were 23 write-in votes.
ALLOWAY
One three-year seat was open on the township committee.
Republican incumbent Joseph G. Fedora garnered 736 votes to be re-elected. Democrat challenger Cheryl A. Lowe received 398 votes.
There were 18 write-in votes.
CARNEYS POINT
One three-year seat was open on the township committee.
Republican challenger Robert L. Hayes was elected with 1,136 votes, ousting Democrat incumbent Tony Rullo who received 972 votes.
There were three write-in votes.
Public Question: The public question of whether the township should examine entering into a shared services agreement with Penns Grove to provide police protection for the borough was rejected by a vote of 1,087 to 1,049.
ELMER
Two three-year seats were open on the borough council.
Incumbent Republicans James W. Zee II and Lew Schneider Jr. both won re-election with 346 and 342 votes respectively.
There were 25 write-in votes.
No Democrats had filed to run in the election.
ELSINBORO
One three-year seat was open on the township committee.
Incumbent Republican Sean Elwell was re-elected with 443 votes, beating Democrat challenger Irene R. Wanner who received 63 votes.
There were six write-in votes.
LOWER ALLOWAYS CREEK
Two three-year seats were open on the township committee.
Incumbent Republican Ellen B. Pompper and incumbent Democrat Sherman G. Wood Jr. were re-elected with 485 and 506 votes respectively. Democrat challenger Dorothy H. Stetser received 389 votes.
There were 36 write-in votes.
Public Question: Voters rejected a public question which asked whether the township should provide $500,000 toward the rehabilitation or replacement of New Bridge. The vote was 489 to 316.
MANNINGTON
One three-year term on the township committee was open.
Republican incumbent Ernest F. Tark Jr. received 279 votes; Democrat John R. Emel received 153 votes and independent candidate Bill Hancock III received 133 votes.
There were no write-in votes.
One one-year unexpired term on the township committee was open.
Republican incumbent Joanne M. Wright received 495 votes. No Democrat filed to run.
There were 12 write-in votes for the one-year seat.
OLDMANS
One three-year term was open on the township committee.
Republican incumbent William Miller received 386 votes. Democrat challenger Charles Tisa received 253 votes.
There were two write-in votes.
PENNS GROVE
Two three-year seats were open on the borough council.
Republican incumbent Janet Bercute, who received 246 votes, lost to Democrats Eric J. Myers and Mark S. Oliver, who received 626 and 542 votes respectively.
There were 12 write-in votes.
PENNSVILLE
One three-year seat was open on the township committee.
Democrat Richie Raine received 2,238 votes. Republican Marc S. Chastain received 1,814 votes.
There were 11 write-in votes.
PILESGROVE
One three-year term on the township committee was open.
Republican Kevin Eachus received 949 votes. Independent candidate Phyllis G. Sauler received 715 votes.
There were four write-in votes.
No Democrat filed to run in the election.
PITTSGROVE
One three-year term on the township committee was open.
Republican Stanley Wojculewski received 1,528 votes. Republican David L. Hayman received 1,286 votes.
There were 11 write-in votes.
QUINTON
One three-year seat was open on the township committee.
Republican Joseph J. Hannagan Jr. received 439 votes. Democrat Carl E. Schrier received 444 votes.
There were three write-in votes.
SALEM CITY
MAYOR
A three-year term
Democrat Robert L. Davis received 844 votes to be elected mayor of Salem City.
There were 57 write-in votes.
No Republican filed to run in the election.
SALEM CITY
COUNCIL -
EAST WARD
One three-year term on council was open.
Democrat Charles Washington Jr. received 423 votes.
There were 63 write-in votes.
No Republican filed to run in the election.
SALEM CITY
COUNCIL -
WEST WARD
One three-year term on council was open.
Democrat Karen L. Tuthill received 392 votes.
There were 21 write-in votes.
No Republican filed to run in the election.
SALEM CITY
COUNCIL -
WEST WARD
A one-year unexpired term on council was open.
Democrat Sharon K. Kellum received 374 votes.
There were 46 write-in votes.
No Republican filed to run in the election.
UPPER PITTSGROVE
Two three-year seats were open on the township committee.
Republican incumbent Jack R. Cimprich was re-elected with 836 votes. Also elected was Republican Bruce W. Bishop with 765 votes. Defeated were incumbent Democrat Michael J. Seery Jr., who received 670 votes, and Democrat Robert Ferber, who received 408 votes.
There was one write-in vote.
WOODSTOWN
Two three-year seats were open on the borough council.
Democrat incumbent John Hall was re-elected with 541 votes. Also elected was Republican Don Dietrich who received 624 votes. Defeated were Democrat Debbie Pettit, with 520 votes, and Republican Frederick Zoback, with 517 votes.
There were two write-in votes.
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County Gilda Gill and Chuck Miller were also winners.
District Assembly seats went Democratic.
Chris Christie of course upset Democratic Incumbant Jon Corzine as Governor.
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