Deputy Mayor Julie Blake won re-election to the Hopewell Township Committee on Nov. 6 over Republican challenger Edward “Jack” Jackowski.
Blake secured 5,017 votes, or 57 percent, compared to Jackowski’s 3,750 (43 percent). Four people cast write-in votes. The committee retains its 4-1 Democratic majority, with John Hart the only Republican currently serving.
Pennington Democratic council candidates Deborah Gnatt (an incumbent) and Elizabeth Rosenblatt, running unopposed, were also elected to three-year terms.
In Hopewell Borough, where three candidates were running for two seats, Democrats Samara McAuliffe (834 votes) and Debra Stuhler (835) outpolled Republican Mark Bovenizer (286).
As is customary, there were three seats up for grabs on the Hopewell Valley Regional School District Board of Education this year. Three candidates ran for two of the seven seats overall that are apportioned to Hopewell Township. Deborah Linthorst (3,936 votes) and Debra O’Reilly (3,180) won election to the board over a third candidate, Arleen Curran. None has served on the school board before.
Joanna “Jenny” Long ran unopposed for Pennington Borough’s lone seat on the board, and was re-elected.
On the Mercer County level, Democratic incumbent candidates for the Board of Chosen Freeholders won re-election as expected over their Republican counterparts. Ann Cannon, Samuel Frisby and Pasquale “Pat” Colavita defeated Republicans Michael Silvestri, Mary Walker and Cynthia Larsen. Also re-elected was Democrat Nina Melker, who was already serving the unexpired term of former freeholder Anthony Verrelli.
Speaking of Verrelli, who is a Hopewell resident, the Democratic assemblyman was re-elected over Republican Justin Tibbetts and independent Alex Bethea to continue to serve the unexpired term of Reed Gusciora, who vacated his 15th District seat to become mayor of Trenton.
Democratic Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson also won re-election to the Assembly from the 15th District over challengers Tracy Sinatra (a Republican) and independent Edward Forchion, also known as NJ Weedman. Reynolds-Jackson was already .serving the unexpired term of Pennington resident Elizabeth Maher Muoio, who left the Assembly to become state treasurer,
On the federal level, 4th District Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman was re-elected to the House of Representatives over Republican challenger Daryl Kipnis, while Democrat Bob Menendez won reelection to the U.S. Senate over Republican Bob Hugin.
Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello reported that 7.15 percent of Mercer County ballots were submitted this year by mail.
Hopewell Township Mayor Julie Blake.,
