Politics & Government

Jim McElwee Elected to Galloway Council

He defeated John Mooney by 700 votes.

UPDATE, 10:31 p.m.: Madeline Avery was the highest vote-getter in the Galloway Township School District Board of Education election with 4,778 votes.

Incumbent Rich Dase was re-elected with 3,945 votes, and David Carmen was elected with 3,134 votes. There were seven candidates running for three seats, each carrying a three-year term.

"I'm happy I got elected and I look forward to serving on the school board," Avery said Tuesday night.

Find out what's happening in Gallowaywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Lois Garrison, who ran unopposed for re-election to her three-year seat on the Greater Egg Harbor Regional School Board of Education seat, collected 6,589 votes. There were 34 write-in votes.

UPDATE: Before provisional and absentee ballots are counted, Democrat Jim McElwee unofficially defeated Incumbent Galloway Republican Councilman John Mooney by a vote count of 6,964-6,265 in Tuesday night's special election. Galloway Township Clerk Thalia C. Kay didn't know how many provisional ballots had yet to be counted by Atlantic County officials.

Find out what's happening in Gallowaywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I won by 700 votes, which is a solid statement and I take it seriously," McElwee said. "I want to thank John Mooney for running a clean campaign. Now it's time to get to work. I look forward to working with the other council members to turn things around, get back on track and work on the budget, which presents a lot of problems."

McElwee defeated Mooney in a special election following the resignation of Councilman Dennis Kleiner in June. Mooney was appointed to the seat in August.

The term expires at the end of next year, meaning McElwee will have to run for re-election in 2013.

Mooney won one more district than McElwee, by a count of 9-8. He won District 1, 477-376; District 2, 564-333; District 3, 495-491; District 4, 316-307; District 7, 233-174; District 9, 472-370; District 13, 295-249; District 14, 515-378; and District 15, 426-392.

McElwee won District 5, 492-328; District 6, 470-345; District 8, 468-426; District 10, 425-114; District 11, 476-198; District 12, 445-342; District 16, 460-271; and District 17, 636-449.

Provisional ballots were important following last week's storm. Voters throughout the county were permitted to fill out provisional ballots anywhere. Galloway Democratic Club Chair Michael Suleiman said he knew of at least one person who lives in Ventnor and was permitted to fill out a sample ballot in South Egg Harbor.

The polling site at the Oceanville Volunteer Firehouse saw residents displaced from as far north as Essex County voting in Galloway Tuesday afternoon. Displaced voters from Ocean City cast their votes at Seashore Gardens, and the Pomona Volunteer Firehouse at 26 provisional ballots as the afternoon wore on. Normally, there might be two or three, one poll worker said.

According to a poll worker at Smithville Elementary School, voters filling out provisional ballots in another municipality were unable to vote for local candidates, as those ballots are not available.

For example, two Atlantic City residents displaced by the storm voted provisionally at Smithville Elementary. Since only Galloway ballots are available at the school, they were unable to vote in Atlantic City's local races.

Earlier in the day, there was one change in polling locations. Districts 10 and 14 were to vote at Assumption Regional Catholic School, and Districts 11 and 17 were to vote at Roland Rogers Elementary School.

A misprint on sample ballots previously released by the county had District 10 voters going to Roland Rogers. According to polling officials at Roland Rogers, many District 10 voters showed up throughout the day. Poll workers there directed voters to Assumption, but also provided sample ballots for those unable to make the trip.

According to one poll worker, no one left Roland Rogers without voting or intending to vote at Assumption.

Voter turnout for District 17 was heavy, and the estimated wait time to vote from that district at Roland Rogers was 30 minutes at one point, according to poll workers. Turnout for District 11 was light in comparison, as voters were able to sign in and immediately go vote.

Assumption saw a steady voter turnout from Districts 10 and 14.

Across the township, polling places reported either "steady" or heavy turnout for the election.

One 20-year veteran called the turnout at the South Egg Harbor Volunteer Firehouse the "best I've ever seen."

A poll worker at the Seashore Gardens assisted living community reported over two dozen caretakers had taken residents in wheelchairs to the site to vote.

"Everyone's committed to being part of this race," she said. "Everyone's been very calm and very patient."

Galloway polling locations: Atlantic County polling locations

Galloway Council candidate profiles:

Incumbent John Mooney (R)

Challenger Jim McElwee (D)

Galloway Board of Education candidate profiles (three seats available):

Incumbent Rich Dase

Challenger Madeline Avery

Challenger David Carmen

Challenger Robert W. Criss

Challenger Wayne Melnik

Challenger Sherri Parmenter

Challenger Ersi Tollja

 

General Election Results Race Democratic Candidate Results Republican Candidate Results U.S. President Barack Obama 59,509
Mitt Romney  41,918 U.S. Senate Robert Menendez 55,631
Joe Kyrillos  38,284 Congressional Cassandra Shober
 42,575 Frank LoBiondo
 51,045 Council Jim McElwee
 6,964 John Mooney
 6,265

 
 



 

 
 

 

 

General Election Results Race Democratic Candidate Results

Republican Candidate

Results Freeholder Colin Bell 47,852
Frank Giordano
44,085 Freeholder Stephen Dicht  7,619 Frank Formica  12,724 Freeholder Erica Polito
 8,444 James Bertino
 11,576

 
 

 
 



 

 
 

 

 

School Board Election Results C Candidate Results Rich Dase 3,945 Madeline Avery 4,778
David Carmen 3,134
Robert Criss 1,496 Wayne Melnik 1,409
Sherri Parmenter 1,896
Ersi Tollja 721
 

 

Public Question Results Question Yes No Question No. 1: Building Our Future Bond Act 43,531
33,286
Question No. 2: Constitutional Amendment Allowing Contributions to Be Taken From Justices' and Judges' Salaries for Their Employee Benefits 59,275
14,415


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