Monmouth County Voters Favor Incumbent Candidates in 2024 General Election

By Stephen Appezzato

MONMOUTH COUNTY – Early results from the 2024 General Election suggest that many local officials will retain their seats for another term, with voters in the Two River area showing strong support for incumbents.

Although mail-in ballots will continue to be counted for up to six days after the polls close, preliminary results indicate that many local candidates are set to remain in office.

In the presidential race, while New Jersey stayed blue, Monmouth County voters favored former President Donald Trump, who received 191,478 county votes compared to Vice President Kamala Harris’ 148,386 votes. Trump was declared the winner in the early hours of Nov. 6 when he received more than 270 Electoral College votes, the threshold needed to win.

Monmouth County also supported Republican Curtis Bashaw in the U.S. Senate race for the Third District; however, former Sen. Robert Menendez’s seat will go to Democratic U.S. Rep. Andy Kim. A majority of Kim’s constituency lies in Burlington County.

Additionally, U.S. Reps. Chris Smith (R-4) and Frank Pallone (D-6) each secured another term in office.

Locally, many candidates ran unopposed, and in the handful of contested races, incumbents were generally favored. The following results are from the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office as of press time.

Federal Offices

President

Donald J. Trump

Kamala D. Harris

For U.S. Senate 3rd District

Andy Kim, Democrat

Curtis Bashaw, Republican

For U.S. House of Representatives 4th District

Christopher H. Smith, Republican

Matthew Jenkins, Democrat

John Morrison
Barry Bendar

For U.S. House of Representatives 6th District

Frank Pallone Jr., Democrat

Scott Fegler, Republican

Fahad Akhtar
Matthew Amitrano

Herb Tarbous

County Offices

Board of County Commissioners Full Term

Susan M. Kiley, Republican

Danielle Mastropiero, Democrat

Municipal Offices

Atlantic Highlands Borough Council, Full Term, Vote for Two

Brian Dougherty, Democrat
Jose E. Pujols, Democrat
Ellen Y. O’Dwyer-Woods, Republican

Brian Boms, Republican

Colts Neck Township Committee Full Term, Vote for Two

Frank G. Rizzuto, Republican

Daniel J. Buzzetta, Republican

Fair Haven Borough Council Full Term, Vote for Two

Elizabeth “Betsy” Koch, Republican

Tracy Cole, Republican
Neil Blecher, Democrat
Paul Frissora, Democrat

Highlands Borough Council (nonpartisan) Full Term, Vote for Two

Leo Cervantes, Independent

Karen Chelak, Independent

Holmdel Township Committee Full Term, Vote for One

Rocco Impreveduto, Republican

Little Silver Borough Council Full Term, Vote for Two

Christian M. Smith, Republican

Laurette Vilardi, Republican

Middletown Township Committee Full Term, Vote for One

Tony Perry, Republican

Michael Morris, Democrat

Oceanport Borough Council Full Term, Vote for Two

William Deerin, Republican

Michael O’Brien, Republican

Oceanport Borough Council, One-Year Unexpired Term, Vote for One

Patricia J. Cooper, Republican

Rumson Borough Council Full Term, Vote for Two

John J. Conklin III, Republican

Sarah H. Pomphrey, Republican

Sea Bright Borough Council Full Term, Vote for Two

Erwin W. Bieber, Republican

William J. Keeler, Republican 

Susana Markson, Democrat

Tammy Kaiser, Independent

Shrewsbury Borough Mayor, Vote for One

Kimberly Eulner, Republican

Shrewsbury Borough Council Full Term, Vote for Two

Donald Eddy, Republican

Daniel Levy, Republican 

David A. Landy, Democrat

Donald J. Sena, Jr., Democrat

See updates at monmouthcountyvotes.com.

The article originally appeared in the November 7 – November 13, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.