Matawan Council, Matawan-Aberdeen School Board Election Results

ABERDEEN, NJ — Polls have closed, and results are supposed to come in soon for the Matawan town council race, and the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional school board race. Keep checking back here for results.

In the Matawan borough council race, Republicans Anissa Esposito and Joe Saggese tried to unseat current council members Deana Gunn and Stephanie Buckel, both Democrats. Republicans have been trying for years without success to make inroads on the Matawan borough council, dominated by Democrats.

9:04 p.m.: Monmouth County Votes has still not posted results for any Board of Education or municipal elections.

9:30 p.m. Matawan's current Council members are far in the lead, but not all the votes have been counted:

Deana GUNN, Democrat, 1,237 votes, 31.99% of the vote

Stephanie BUCKEL, Democrat, 1,223 votes, 31.63%

Anissa Esposito, 712 votes, 18.4% of the vote cast

Joe Saggese, 688, 17.79%

Also remember: These are not all the votes. If you mailed your ballot back on Election Day, it still has to be counted; if you voted provisionally at the polls, it still has to be counted and ADA-machine votes are still pending.

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Esposito and Saggese made a ballooning municipal budget their No. 1 issue.

"The current administration ran on making Matawan more affordable, yet raised the budget by 20 percent in five years," said Esposito in this Patch profile. "In fact, while it is nice to see a rehabilitated historic mansion or new curbs and sidewalks on Main Street, not a whole lot has really changed in five years, except out-of-control spending and debt. This administration chose to raise the budget by $450,000, make no cuts or consolidations, quietly introduce a $11.9-million dollar bond offering, and raise municipal taxes $600,000."

Saggese said he ran because of a lack of transparency from the borough council.

"Residents have been bullied and intimidated by the council," he said. "They have driven debt and spending to unsurpassed levels."

But Gunn pointed to work the council has done restoring Matawan and developing its Main Street, downtown and the train station area — all of which costs money and investment.

"In the 10 years before we were elected, the previous administration let the town fall apart. Our team fixed it up. We've repaired roads, put in new sidewalks, fixed up parks and restored historic landmarks. We've removed eyesores like the two abandoned gas stations on Main Street. We are on our way but we still have more work to do," she said. "Our team has a vision and a real plan for Matawan going forward. The only thing I have seen from our opponents is a lot of negativity and attacks on the work we've been doing the last few years."

Gunn promised if re-elected, the Democrat Matawan boro Council will "tackle the next phase," further redevelopment of the downtown and train station area.

Here is who is running in the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional Board of Education race (Matawan has three seats on the BOE, and Aberdeen has six):

Two seats open from Aberdeen:

• Allison Friedman, currently Board president, running to keep her seat
• Radmila Grinberg
• John P. Delaney

One seat open from Matawan:
Kevin Ahearn (currently on the Board, running to keep his seat)
Challenger Rachel Schienvar

10:45 p.m. Results: John Delaney, 2,170 33.19%
Allison FRIEDMAN 2,880 44.04%
Radmila GRINBERG 1,454, 22.24%
Rachel SCHIENVAR 675 votes 45.95%
Kevin W. AHEARN 756 51.46%

For full coverage of the 2020 election in New Jersey, go here: New Jersey Elections 2020

Here are past Patch profiles from all the candidates: Matawan Councilwoman Deana Gunn: Why I Seek Re-Election

Matawan Boro Council Race: Republicans Esposito, Saggese Talk

Matawan Boro Council Race Enters Final Days: Candidates Talk