Incumbent two-term mayor ousted by write-in candidate
By John Burton
In the topsy-turvy elections in an off-off year where nobody really expected much in the way of upsets but they happened all the same, one of the most startling races is probably Oceanport.
In what was supposed to be an unchallenged mayoral race, the incumbent Republican mayor has lost to a last-minute write-in challenger.
In an unofficial count on Wednesday following Tuesday’s election, John “Jay” Coffey is leading by 228 votes over Mayor Michael Mahon in a stunning turn of events. As it currently stands Mahon had won 721 votes and Coffey received 949 out of the total 988 write-in ballots cast.
Coffey appeared the most surprised by the situation. “I was stunned,” Coffey said on Wednesday afternoon. “I can’t believe it turned out like this.”
Coffey is a registered Democrat but said last month he didn’t think party affiliation was important for local elections. He decided to enter the race in September when it was too late to make it on the November ballot, acknowledging last month that this was a “quixotic” quest for the office. He was running with Cullin Wible, who was unsuccessful in his write-in campaign.
Since making that decision, Coffey and his supporters had waged an aggressive campaign that relied especially on social media, with supporters taking to Facebook, phone banks and the campaign website to get the candidate’s message to the public. “We didn’t have time to do the regular boots on the ground, so we had to figure out other ways,” he acknowledged.
Coffey and his supporters said they were upset with the current situation in the community and the apparent discord among Mahon and other borough council members at public hearings and concern over such issues as the Fort Monmouth redevelopment plan for Oceanport property and details about borough administrator John Bennett’s employment.
At recent meetings there had some fiery exchanges between Mahon and some sitting Republican council members that had left some public members dismayed. (Mahon had disputed that characterization for a previous story in The Two River Times.).
Incumbent Republican Councilman Joseph Irace, who had sparred with Mahon, and threw his support behind Coffey said “It was a victory for Oceanport.”
Coffey, Irace said, won support of some former Republican council members and former Democratic mayor Gordon Gemma. “It kind of transcended political parties and age groups,” Irace said, noting the strong support Coffey seemed to win from young families. “It was an eclectic mix.”
“It was grassroots to the nth degree,” Coffey agreed. But it also speaks to a larger issue, he suspected, given nearly 1,000 people came out because they were dissatisfied and wrote in the names of those not on the ballot. “People are just mad as hell and not going to take it anymore,” Coffey said.
Following the outcome, Mahon said “I’m disappointed but not sad.” He’s served as mayor for eight years and a three-year borough council term before that. “It’s been a long time,” he said.
“This is what elections are about,” Mahon. “The voters have spoken.”
Local 2015 election coverage on The Two River Times
- Unexpected Results in a Historically Low Turnout Year
- GOP Takes Red Bank By 4 Votes
- Incumbents Ousted in Highlands
- GOP Sweeps, Other Than Stunning Angelini and Casagrande Loss
- ‘Quixotic’ Oceanport Mayoral Attempt Succeeded
- Local Election Results
- Voters Approve Liquor Sales in Little Silver
- VIDEO: Local Candidate Debate
- Every Vote Counts (Editorial)
