Elections

Anyone who is a candidate interested in a school board position had until Monday July 30 to file their nominating petitions at the Ocean County Clerks Office.

Monmouth County joins Ocean in staying deep red at the top of the slates, Donald Trump outdistancing Hillary Clinton by about 30,000 votes in unofficial results.

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.

Two Congressional incumbents face challenges by multiple opponents, the Mayor of Belmar leads a ticket to upend two sitting Freeholders, and a Marlboro Township Councilman throws down the gauntlet against the current Sheriff. Monmouth County voters get all that, plus a myriad of local governing-body seats to decide.

The race for the U.S. Presidency is far from the only one bearing a close eye. Ocean County's southern, western and northern sectors have different Congressional seats to decide, and there is a plethora of local contested races.

Very close margins decide the composition of school boards in nearly a dozen contested races throughout Ocean County, and Lacey Township board of ed voting stays in November. Berkeley Township - Central Regional Board of Education (Two 3-year terms): George Dohn; Denise Pavone-Wilson; Brick Township Board of Education (Three 3-year terms): John Lamela; Stephanie Wolrab; Victoria Pakala Brick Towns

Marlboro voters shoot down a $46 million dollar referendum to bring full-day kindergarten to the district and upgrade its elementaries, as school boards throughout Monmouth reorganize. The winners: Asbury Park Board of Education (Three seats): Angela Anderson; Kenneth Saunders; Barbara Lesinski Atlantic Highlands, Henry Hudson Regional Board (One seat): Thomas Hayden Avon Board of Education (Two s

Some surprising wins by independents, a rebuilt oceanfront pavilion in Belmar's future and the advent of alcohol in Little Silver highlight unofficial results in Monmouth local balloting. Aberdeen Township Council (4 seats): Gregory Cannon (D-Incumbent), Arthur Hirsch (D), Robert Swindle (D-Incumbent), and Concetta Kelly (D-Incumbent) defeated Edward Failla (R), Lyle Himmel (R), John Gartley (R),

A shocker in Monmouth County's 11th Legislative District stands in bold relief to a shore Republican juggernaut and hands two Assembly seats to Democrats. Legislative District 9: Brian Rumpf (R-Incumbent) and Dianne Gove (R-Incumbent) defeated Fran Zimmer (D) and John Bingham (D) Legislative District 10: Greg McGuckin (R-Incumbent) and Dave Wolfe (R-Incumbent) defeated Kimberley Casten (D) and Va

A Republican sweep in Stafford, a Democratic sweep in Brick, and a dark-horse victory in Little Egg Harbor loom among the highlights of contested races in Ocean County. Barnegat Township Committee (Two 3-year terms): Susan McCabe (R-Incumbent) and Frank Caputo (R) defeated Carrie Diona (D); Bill Cox (I) and Denise Pilovsky (I) Berkeley Township Mayor (4-year term): Carmen Amato (R-Incumbent) defea