Races in Somers Point, Northfield, freeholder still up in the air
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
The winner of some elections in Atlantic County remained unclear as of Friday, Nov. 6.
Two city council seats in Northfield and three in Somers Point, as well as the freeholder race involving Linwood’s Caren Fitzpatrick and Somers Point’s James Toto, were still undecided.
Six candidates were seeking three seats in Somers Point. Levi Fox was leading Joseph McCarrie Jr. by 81 votes, 2,208 to 2,127, for the at-large seat. Stacy Ferreri had a 66-vote lead on Dan Myers, 1,176 to 1,110. Karen Bruno had a healthier lead of 241 votes over James Osler, 1,162 to 921, in Ward II.
Regardless of who wins, Somers Point will have three new members on city council and Republicans will maintain their long-term grip on power. With longtime lone Democrat Carl D’Adamo choosing not to seek re-election, the board could even lose that little bit of bipartisanship.
In Northfield, Dave Notaro was leading two opponents in Ward I with more votes than both combined. He had 1,076 votes to 816 for Democrat Lisa Lehne-Gilmore and 213 for independent Alicia Garry. Tom Polistina had the edge in the Ward II race by 231 votes, 1,170 to 949 for Rich DiCriscio.
Deputy City Clerk Shannon Campbell said there are about 200 provisional ballots still uncounted in Ward II, as well as any ballots that were dropped in the box in front of City Hall on Election Day.
“We are still waiting; I don’t expect anything for at least a week,” Campbell said Friday.
Two Democrats were ahead in the race for two seats on the Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Fitzpatrick, an incumbent, and running mate Celeste Fernandez were leading Republicans Toto and incumbent John Risley Jr.
Fitzpatrick had 55,925; Fernandez had 54,461; Risley had 54,276 and Toto had 52,657.
Toto chose not to seek re-election on Somers Point City Council to focus on the freeholder race.
Meanwhile, Atlantic County Sheriff Eric Scheffler of Linwood was ahead of Republican challenger Joseph “Tokyo” O’Donoghue 61,294 to 49,895.
