By Sunayana Prabhu
Democrat Mikie Sherrill made history Tuesday as the first woman from her party elected governor of New Jersey. She defeated Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli in a race that kept the state solidly blue, even as Monmouth County voters largely backed Republicans, including Ciattarelli, preserving the region as a GOP stronghold.
Here’s a look at the 2025 general election results, including the gubernatorial contest, Legislative Districts 11 and 13, which represent the Two River area, and county, municipal and school board seats. The result of the Monmouth County referendum question on open space is also included.
Voter turnout in 2025 was 55.88%. In the 2024 general election, a presidential election year, Monmouth County reported 72% voter turnout.
These are unofficial results, as mail-in and provisional ballots will be counted through the week. Final certified results will be announced by the New Jersey Division of Elections.
Governor and State Legislature Contests
U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat from Montclair, handily defeated former state Assembly member Jack Ciattarelli, a Republican from Raritan, winning the governor’s race with about 56.2% of the vote to Ciattarelli’s 43.2%, according to statewide returns. However, Monmouth County voters flipped those results, favoring Ciattarelli with 54.15% of the votes against Sherrill’s 45.22%, continuing a solid Republican trend in the county.
“New Jersey, it is the honor of my life to earn your trust to become this great state’s 57th governor,” Sherrill wrote on X as results were projected, thanking supporters and pledging to “listen” and “lead with courage.”
Sherrill’s victory drew swift praise from New Jersey elected officials.
Gov. Phil Murphy, a Middletown resident, congratulated both major party nominees for a hard-fought contest and offered his congratulations to Sherrill on her win. “The people of New Jersey have chosen a leader who’ll fight every day to lower costs and protect our residents,” he said.
U.S. Rep Frank Pallone Jr. (D-6), who endorsed Sherrill in the primaries, congratulated her on “a historic win.”
The cross-party appeal Sherrill cultivated among moderate and independent voters was apparent from her endorsement by former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman – New Jersey’s first female governor and a Republican who publicly supported Sherrill during the race. She said Sherrill is “the right person for the job,” adding in an interview that “it would be really nice to have another woman” as governor of New Jersey. It’s been over 24 years since Whitman left office to become the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under George W. Bush.
Sherrill’s win in New Jersey came the same night Democrats scored a high-profile victory in the only other gubernatorial race in the nation; in Virginia, U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger won the state’s highest office.
Spanberger has ties to Monmouth County: She was born in Red Bank. She and Sherrill, who spent part of her early life in Virginia, were both cited as candidates whose regional ties and profiles helped them connect with voters across party lines. The campaigns of both the candidates resonated with voters, as they focused on similar issues facing residents – affordability, public safety and government competence.
Other candidates on the gubernatorial ballot included Joanne S. Kuniansky of the Socialist Workers Party and Vic Kaplan, a Libertarian.
Names of local winners are highlighted in bold.
New Jersey General Assembly
All 80 seats were up for election this year in the state, with two candidates chosen from each district. Incumbents won in the Two River area districts 11 and 13.
DISTRICT 11
Margaret M. Donlon, Democrat, incumbent (27.49%)
Luanne M. Peterpaul, Democrat, incumbent (27.32%)
Andrew C. Wardell, Republican (22.09%)
Jessica Ford, Republican (21.90%)
Felicia Simmons, Independent (1.13%)
DISTRICT 13
Gerry Scharfenberger, Republican, incumbent (28.97%)
Vicky Flynn, Republican, incumbent (29.20%)
Vaibhav Gorige, Democrat (20.38%)
Jason M. Corley Sr., Democrat (21.38%)
Monmouth County Offices
Across Monmouth County, Republicans won the races for sheriff, clerk and the open county commissioner seats.
MONMOUTH COUNTY SHERIFF
Shaun Golden, Republican, incumbent (57.19%)
Michael Warren, Democrat (42.70%)
MONMOUTH COUNTY CLERK
Christine Giordano Hanlon, Republican, incumbent (57.24%)
Alison DeNoia, Democrat (40.94%)
Joshua Leinsdorf, Independent (1.76%)
MONMOUTH COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Thomas A. Arnone, Republican, incumbent (26.61%)
Dominick “Nick” DiRocco, Republican, incumbent (27.83%)
Vito Colasurdo, Democrat (21.45%)
Jacquelyn Wenzel, Democrat (22.05%)
Contested Municipal and School Board Races in the Two River Area
Races for local governing bodies and school boards are presented below. Many local races were uncontested in the Two River area. However, several unofficial results showed competitive races for both school boards and town councils, with winners and losers separated by only a few votes. In Sea Bright, a two-vote difference in unofficial results places incumbent Independent Heather Gorman ahead of her GOP challenger. But Eileen Kean, chairwoman of the County Board of Elections, said votes will not be certified for more than a week, with many mail-in ballots and provisional ballots yet to be counted. A candidate in a tight race can request a recount from a judge, she said.
In Holmdel, former mayor Greg Buontempo, who had previously left office, has been returned to the committee by voters. He ran successfully in the GOP primary in June.
The Red Bank school board race saw both incumbents returned to office, including board president Suzanne Viscomi, who has been at the center of a controversy involving her removal from the library board by the council.
As of press time Wednesday, Nov. 5, the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office website lists the following results:
MUNICIPAL CONTESTS
Atlantic Highlands Borough Council, full term
Brian W. Gorsegner, Democrat (28.62%)
Kathleen Scatassa, Democrat (27.96%)
Laura A. Hesse, Republican (21.56%)
Justin Thomas, Republican (21.81%)
Fair Haven Borough Council, full term
Kevin J. Griffin, Republican (25.06%)
Christina Maleeki, Democrat (25.19%)
Joseph R. Duva, Republican (24.93%)
Harold Baker, Democrat (24.60%)
Highlands Borough Mayor (nonpartisan)
Carolyn Broullon, incumbent (51.30%)
Rebecca J. Wells (48.36%)
Holmdel Township Committee, full term
Brian Foster, Republican, incumbent (37.65%)
Gregory Buontempo, Republican (35.58%)
Allan C. Roth, Democrat (25.22%)
Middletown Township Committee, full term
Rick Hibell, Republican, incumbent (30.05%)
Kevin M. Settembrino, Republican, incumbent (29.92%)
Shawn Wallach, Democrat (20.21%)
Jeremy Seideman, Democrat (19.74%)
Sea Bright Borough Council, full term
Samuel A. Catalano, Republican, incumbent (36.63%)
Heather Payne Gorman, Independent (31.08%)
Paul R. LoBiondo, Republican (30.92%)
Shrewsbury Borough Council, full term
Christopher McAvoy, Republican (33.61%)
Christopher Martinetti, Republican (34.65%)
Lori Sprizza, Democrat (29.69%)
Tinton Falls Mayor (nonpartisan)
Risa Clay, incumbent (57.04%)
Angie Swaroop (18.73%)
Anthony Guarino (24.13%)
Tinton Falls Council (nonpartisan), full term
Greg Alessi, incumbent (29.91%)
Lawrence A. Neis, (27.32%)
Lawrence A. Dobrin, incumbent (9.47%)
A.J. DeRosa (10.46%)
Elizabeth Perez (11.39%)
Rob Mauro (11.40%)
Tinton Falls Council (nonpartisan), two-year unexpired term
Kashyap “Kash” Parikh (54.20%)
Jennifer Lupo (20.71%)
Richard Riccardi (25.00%)
Holmdel Township Board of Education (nonpartisan), full term
Joanne Lam (19.39%)
Brittany Manning (19.51%)
Gregory Fernandez (18.26%)
Jeff Mann, incumbent (14.20%)
John Buckley, incumbent (14.69%)
Kevin Schroeter (13.79%)
Middletown Township Board of Education (nonpartisan), full term
Christopher J. Aveta (16.97%)
James Cody (16.68%)
Erin Torres (16.70%)
Sara Weinstein (16.63%)
James G. Dobis (16.03%)
Leonora E. Lacqua-Caminiti, incumbent (8.37%)
Joseph Fitzgerald, incumbent (8.01%)
Red Bank Borough Board of Education (nonpartisan), full term
Christy Sunquist (26.80%)
Suzanne Viscomi, incumbent (26.21%)
Paul Savoia, incumbent (25.08%)
Julie Flores-Castillo (21.29%)
MONMOUTH COUNTY REFERENDUM QUESTION: OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND
Yes: 150,712 No: 73,803
Voters across Monmouth County were asked to approve an increase to the Monmouth County Open Space Trust Fund tax rate from 2.75 cents to 3.75 cents per $100 of equalized property value. The fund supports land preservation, water quality protection and park maintenance. County officials say the increase will help offset rising property costs and development pressures.
Visit monmouthcountyvotes.gov or vote.nj.gov for certified election data and updates.
The article originally appeared in the November 6 – November 12, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
