Ritter, Gallop Win Seats on Township Committee

Chatham Township residents voted to keep Robert Gallop on the committee and to let Curt Ritter join him.

Results from Tuesday's primary election were available at about 8:45 p.m. and included the absentee ballots, according to township Administrator Thomas E. Ciccarone.

Ritter led the candidates with 710 votes. Robert Gallop had 564 votes, 146 less than Ritter, and Daniel Miller earned 534 votes. If he had garnered only 33 more votes he would have ousted Gallop.

Gallop was not present when the ballots were counted.

Ritter said he was pleased with the results and thanked members of the community who voted for him. "I am looking forward to improving communications between the committee and township residents," Ritter said, "and having Chatham residents becoming more engaged in their local government."

He also congratulated all candidates on what he called a well-run campaign.

This will be Gallop's third term on the committee. For the last three years he has also served as deputy mayor.

This will be Ritter's first term on the committee. He will take the place of Mayor Nicole Hagner, who will not run for re-election this year.

With no Democratic candidates running in the primary, Ritter and Gallop will be unopposed in the general election in November.

"I certainly hope that in the future that all the township committee members will represent all areas of Chatham Township," Miller said.

Chatham Patch will post further election results as they become available.