Elections

GOP Sweeps Fair Haven Council & Mayoral Races

The unofficial 2022 election results have put a Republican majority back on the governing body dais in Fair Haven.

Unofficial is more unofficial than usual with some new voting procedures. “Please be advised that due to the new vote by mail law, the mail-in ballot count will continue after Election Day,” and advisory stated at the top of the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office posting results. The new law allows mail-in ballots to be received by the Board of Elections up to 6 days after close of the polls, provided the ballot is post marked on Election Day.”

As of 11:30 a.m. the day after Election Day, Election Day machines and mail-in ballots were 99 and 95 percent processed, respectively. Provisionals, cure letters, late mail-ins and Election Day drop box ballots were all still pending.

Here’s what the majority of votes told …  

Sitting Mayor Josh Halpern, a Republican, has won his first four-year term as mayor. Halpern filled the unexpired term of former longtime Mayor Ben Lucarelli. He garnered 1,754 votes, or more than 61 percent, according to the Monmouth County Board of Elections’ unofficial tallies.

Halpern was challenged by sitting Fair Haven Council President Chris Rodriguez, who garnered 1,103 votes, or roughly 39 percent. Rodriguez has another year left to his term on borough council.

A total of 2, 859 votes were cast in the mayoral race with two write-ins.

With four vying for two seats on council, Halpern’s running mates, newcomers and Republicans Kristen Hoey and Drew LaBarbera won their first three-year terms on council, ousting Fair Haven-raised Democrats Meghan Chrisner-Keefe and Mike McCue.

Hoey was the top vote-getter with 1,535, or 27 percent of the total votes cast. LaBarbera garnered 1,486 votes, or 26 percent.

Chrisner-Keefe won 1,348 votes, or 24 percent. And McCue garnered 1,293, or 23 percent.

A total of 5, 662 votes were cast for the borough council race.

When the newly-elected are sworn in, the partisan composition of the borough council will change from a Democrat majority of 4-2 to a Republican majority of 4-2. The mayor does not vote, but breaks ties and presides over meetings.