By Allison Perrine
MONMOUTH COUNTY – Election results are now official in Monmouth County and in several races, the outcomes demonstrate just how important each vote is.
Winners in Atlantic Highlands and Highlands secured council seats by a mere few votes. The Two River Times was unable to confirm if any recounts had been requested by press time Wednesday.
There were six individuals vying for two open full-term seats on the Atlantic Highlands dais this year. Incumbent Republican James Murphy secured the first open seat with 997 votes, but the second seat was a close race between Murphy’s Republican running mate Ellen Y. O’Dwyer-Woods and Democrat Brian Dougherty. Ultimately, Dougherty took the lead with 945 votes to O’Dwyer-Woods’ 939 votes. She was not available to comment on the results by press time.
Dougherty, however, said “after such a long wait for results,” he feels relieved to know the outcome.
“I’m truly humbled and honored for the opportunity to serve. I’m excited to get to work,” he said. “Whether you voted for me or not, I pledge to work on your behalf in service to the community we call home. Thank
you for entrusting me with the responsibility of representing you.”
When asked if he expected the election race to be so close, Dougherty noted that, as a first-time candidate, he wasn’t sure what to expect.
“I don’t know that anyone anticipated the governor race to be as close as it was. I think that had an effect down ballot in races all over Monmouth County,” he said. “In our race, the presence of the Independent candidates was an X factor that added some uncertainty. Throughout the campaign, my running mate Lesley D’Almeida and I felt that our message about wanting to move Atlantic Highlands forward with concrete ideas was received well. In the end, I think that was the case.”
In Highlands’ nonpartisan race for two full-term council seats, candidate Leo Cervantes took the lead with 690 votes. His running mate Karen Chelak secured the second seat with 576 votes; challenger Richard “Rick” W. O’Neil fell behind her with 565 votes. In 2019, O’Neil – a former mayor and council member – ran for reelection but lost to current Mayor Carolyn Broullon by one vote.
O’Neil did not respond to requests for comment by press time Wednesday.
Chelak, however, said, while it was a “stressful two weeks since Election Day” waiting for the final results to process, she is “absolutely thrilled to have won.”
“I knew that Mr. O’Neil had substantial support in the borough having served as mayor and councilman for close to 20 years. Here I was a newcomer that had to prove to the voters my dedication to making Highlands the best it can be,” she told The Two River Times. “I would like to think that the voters factored in my decades-long professional business and managerial experience when making their decision. I would also like to thank Mr. O’Neil for his years of service to the community.”
She also believes that having six people compete for two council seats added to the closeness of the race.
“The vote was split, contributing toward lower winning margins,” she said.
Chelak expressed her gratitude to Highlands’ voters for their confidence.
“I have truly learned to love the town, the people, its history and natural beauty. I do not take this position and the trust that has been placed in me lightly,” she said. “I have no need or desire for financial gain. I am undertaking this job to give back to the community and to respect the hardworking people of Highlands.
“My grandfather first came to the U.S. from Poland in 1893 to seek a better life. One of the first things he saw so long ago when he sailed into New York Harbor were the Twin Lights of Highlands. I thought of him many times during the campaign.”
According to Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon, there are three offices involved in the election process in Monmouth County. The Superintendent of Elections Office is responsible for counting out provisional ballots and determining whether or not the sender is eligible to vote in the county, without opening the envelopes.
Election officials denote their findings on the outside of the ballot envelope. Those findings are then given to the Monmouth County Board of Elections for counting. The board makes the final determination on whether or not the ballot is valid and decides what will be counted and what will be voided. All the while, the clerk’s office waits for results and then posts them to the monmouthcountyvotes.com website.
When recounts are called, the Monmouth County Board of Elections manually rechecks and recounts the late mail-in and provisional ballots, and reviews machine tapes from the voting booths. Robin Major, the administrator at the board of elections, has said the time it takes to complete a recount can vary, depending on how many districts are involved in the town.
After the November 2019 election, Hanlon told The Two River Times that “there’s always a town in Monmouth County that is close” and “oftentimes” there is a recount. “Sometimes the results change and sometimes they stay the same,” she said. This was demonstrated that year in Holmdel Township when it appeared Republican candidate Chiung-Yin Cheng Liu had won a seat on the dais over independent candidate Prakash Santhana by three votes. After a recount requested by Santhana, tallies were reversed and showed the independent ahead of Liu by two votes.
“Based on past recounts that I’ve seen, the results usually don’t change,” Santhana then told The Two River Times after the recount results came in. “We have to obviously thank our supporters, not only in the regular election process but in the recount process. I’m definitely thrilled with the support.”
The article originally appeared in the November 18 – 24, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
