Noticias

The margin of victory in the Democratic primary for Roselle Borough Council has dropped from three votes to two after a court-ordered recount was conducted today.

Incumbent Cynthia Johnson now leads 1,496 to 1,494 for her opponent, Cynthia Johnson.

The Union County Board of Elections conducted a hand count of 637 vote-by-mail ballots, 44 provisional ballots, and 155 ballot cards.  Additionally, the results of 63 voting machines from the at-large race were reloaded and compared to the results after a July 16 recheck.

Now, Johnson and her attorney, Alyssa Zara of King Moench, are expected to challenge the final results of the election in court.

The recount was conducted after a two-judge state appellate court panel overturned a decision by Superior Court Judge John Deitch to deny a recount earlier last month.

The reversal of the lower court ruling came after a recheck of machines found a discrepancy in the number of votes cast and the number that were actually counted.

“We conclude this factual discrepancy deserves some additional scrutiny since it might implicate a question of law,” wrote Appellate Court Judge Jeffrey Jablonski, who wrote the decision for himself and Judge Maria Berdote Byrne.  “To ensure the validity of the election, a recount is appropriate.”

There are no other candidates on the ballot in the at-large council race.

A conference with attorneys is set for Friday.

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