Ocean County Decides 2016: The winners
Regardless of how the rest of New Jersey swings on the Presidential scale, Ocean County's Republicans let out a deep red roar for Donald Trump, giving him a two-to-one edge in votes over Hillary Clinton in unofficial tallies.
Also cruising to easy wins were incumbent Republican Congressmen Tom MacArthur in District 3, Frank Lobiondo in District 2 and Chris Smith in District 12.
Ocean County Freeholder John Kelly returns for a new term, and appointee Ginny Haines captures her first full elected term. Sheriff Mike Mastronardy outdistanced Sal Ottaviano and Michael Osborn. Nearly all were by resounding two-to-one margins.
The statewide referenda met with defeat on both counts in Ocean County. New Jerseyans overall defeated the ballot question for gambling expansion into North Jersey, and approved full dedication of revenue from the increased state gasoline tax to the Transportation Trust Fund.
Winners in the contested local races:
Barnegat Township Committee - Albert Bille
Barnegat Township Committee, one-year unexpired term - Al Cirulli
Barnegat Light Borough Council - Frank Mikuletzky, Scott Sharpless
Bay Head Borough Council - Douglas J. Lyons, Robert Hein
Beach Haven Borough Council - Nancy Taggart Davis, Charles Maschal, Daniel Allen
Island Heights Borough Council - Melissa Wudzki, Sandra Snow
Lakewood Township Committee - Albert Akerman
Lavallette Borough Council - Robert Lamb, Michael Stodgill
Little Egg Harbor Township Committee - Barbara Jo Crea
Long Beach Township Commission - Joseph Mancini, Joseph Lattanzi, Ralph Bayard
Manchester Townshipo Council - James Vaccaro, Sam Fusaro, Charles Frattini
Mantoloking Borough Council, one-year unexpired term - Christopher Nelson
Ocean Township (Waretown) Committee - Ben Lo Paro
Ocean Gate Borough Council - Joella Nicastro, John Serpica
Pine Beach Borough Council - Barry Weick, Raymond Newman
Point Pleasant Borough Council - Joseph Furmato, Michael Tulen
Point Pleasant Beach Borough Council - Thomas Vogel, Thomas Toohey
Seaside Park Borough Council - Faith Liguori, Ray Amabile
South Toms River Borough Council - Gregory Handshy, Tanya Mosley
Toms River, Ward 2, one-year unexpired term - Kevin Geoghegan