The results of the fiercly fought 2016 presidential election showed a nation divided, and the numbers in Hamilton Township were no different.
The partisan split occurred straight down the middle of the township, with the west side of town going for Democrat Hillary Clinton and the east side going for president-elect Donald Trump.
The results display why Hamilton is often seen as a political bellwether. Just as Trump, a Republican, won more states than Clinton, he also outpaced his opponent, 36-28, when it came to Hamilton voting districts. Yet, Clinton won the popular vote both in Hamilton (by five percentage points) and nationally (by 1.7M votes on Nov. 20). The national margin could change based on few million votes that had yet to be counted in California, Michigan, Utah and Washington, according to the Cook Political Report.
Hamilton was the largest base of support for Trump in Mercer County, and one of only two municipalities countywide to have a district go for the Republican. Trump had the margin in three of Robbinsville’s nine voting districts; coincidentally, Clinton also won the popular vote in Robbinsville.
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Newcomer Jessica Young and incumbents Tony Celentano and Pamela Kelly each earned new three-year terms on the Hamilton Township Board of Education. Young beat out current board vice president Dina Thornton, as well as challengers Girard Casale and John Kroschwitz II.
The newly elected board members will have their hands full. In 2017, the Board of Education will be tasked with hiring a new superintendent for the district, as well as dealing with the results of the Jan. 24 public referendum. The January measure will ask voters to approve $54M in repairs to the township’s schools.
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