Democrats Retain Two-Seat Minority On Bergen Freeholder Board; Take Clerk's Seat
David Ganz and Joan Voss beat Republican challengers after close race
Democrats defeated their Republican challengers Tuesday night in a Bergen County freeholder race that largely focused on property taxes.
Incumbent David Ganz of Fair Lawn and Assemblywoman Joan Voss of Fort Lee — who was filling the spot on the Democratic ticket vacated when Bernadette McPherson decided not to seek re-election — bested Republicans Joel Brizzi of East Rutherford and Anthony Rottino of Franklin Lakes, and Independent Edward Brunner.
Final vote tallies would likely not be available until Wednesday, after several municipal clerks failed to report numbers to the county, according to a staff member in the Clerk's Office, who declined to be named Tuesday night. At least 507 out of 543 precincts were reported at the county Board of Elections Office in Hackensack.
In other countywide contests, Democrat John Hogan narrowly defeated Republican Elizabeth Randall in a County Clerk’s race between two candidates who previously served as freeholders. Randall was appointed to the clerk’s job on an interim basis in January when Kathleen Donovan left the position to become County Executive.
In the race for surrogate, Michael Dressler, a Democrat who has held the job for 15 years, fended off a challenge from Republican Andrew Cimiluca.
The GOP took back political control of the Bergen County freeholder board last year, after several years of Democratic reign.
The Republicans were looking to sweep the freeholder board, charging that Democrats repeatedly raised taxes in their tenure.
The Democrats said they lowered taxes during their years of control of county government, arguing that Republicans got rid of vital county services while keeping in place overtime and administrative spending.
Joe Kayal
8:36 am on Thursday, November 10, 2011
WE OFTEN GET WHAT WE DESERVE AND SO WE LET THE DEMOCRATS GAIN 3 SEATS THEY DIDN'T DESERVE BY NOT GETTING OUT TO VOTE. TO THINK THAT ONLY 19% OF VOTERS THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH VOTING, IS SHAMEFUL! TO OUR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES WHO WORKED SO HARD, I'M SORRY!
Ken F.
10:03 am on Thursday, November 10, 2011
I wish someone could make it a job of finding out which claims by politicians are true and which are false. It gets tiring hearing claims from both sides that make it sound like no one can do a good job. I'm sure they all fail us taxpayers in some ways but it would be nice to know the truth.
B@B
1:16 pm on Thursday, November 10, 2011
Isn't that your job as a citizen? Your civic obligation extends beyond election day. We all should be vigilant about our so-called representatives on an ongoing basis.
Ken F.
12:21 pm on Friday, November 11, 2011
I agree with you B@B but I feel it is a full time job to investigate the way these guys lie or bend the truth. Since I already work 10+ hours a day and sometimes both days on the weekends I have little time to spare. That's why I made the comment. I know of no unbiased source out there that we citizens can go to to get all the answers we seek when politicians open their mouths.
Boland
10:43 am on Thursday, November 10, 2011
Joe, you cant blame the turnout alone. The Republicans won big last year and squandered their good will by being hypocrites collecting pensions and practicing in the same political cronyism that Ferriero did and the voters sent them a message
Wanner
1:04 pm on Thursday, November 10, 2011
Elections usually aren’t based on facts. There’re based upon image and perception. The public seems to forget that democracy is only as good as their contribution; often justifying their lack of responsible participation as unimportant. Yet the detached voters are actually voting by their absence, allowing minority interests to decide their future. In the end it assures that all citizens with the power to vote, whether or not exercised, gets the democratic government they deserve.
Mike Kupchik
6:06 pm on Thursday, November 10, 2011
I usually vote all-Republican, but when the County Clerk candidate plastered the front page of my Bergen Record two days with those full-contact "sticky pads," a pet peeve of mine, it sealed her fate for me.
Jack B Goode
6:36 pm on Thursday, November 10, 2011
really? Hey Mike, how about the 4000 Hogan signs most on public property and the negative smear campaign he ran against Randall ? That didn't bother you?
Carey Grant
10:43 am on Friday, November 11, 2011
Yes. Sticky pads are a good reason to vote somebody out of office. They ae pesky and a public nuisance.
Ken F.
12:28 pm on Friday, November 11, 2011
If "The People" don't turn out to vote then the government isn't really for "The People", it's for "The Few"... and then for only about half of them since party line splits ar near 50%.
Jack B Goode
7:16 pm on Friday, November 11, 2011
I 'm just glad she didn't use staples......
Diane Schwarz
4:27 pm on Monday, November 14, 2011
Ken, Some fast ways to get the FACTS, is to log onto the League of Women Voters web site (if you don't have time to actually go at a forum). Thay are a totally non partisan group. Another is to get information from Bergen Grassroots, another non partisan organisation. Don't believe blurbs or ads. And do VOTE!!!! I also caught an ACTUAL Freeholders Meeting on TV, channel 77 on Optimum Cable.
Ken F.
12:27 pm on Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Thanks Diane.
delgado
8:50 pm on Monday, November 14, 2011
Yep, just remember the Bergen Republicans pledged not to raise debt. Now they want to take $800,000,000 from our pockets to build a for profit water park