Summit Election Update: 2 Write-In Candidates Can Run For Council

SUMMIT, NJ — According to Summit City Clerk Rosemary Licatese, two write-in candidates for seats on the Summit Common Council will get the chance to run in November as Republicans, as they received enough write-in votes during Tuesday night's primary to get the nod.

Republican voters in Summit cast 218 write-in votes for Robert Weck for Common Council in the Ward 1 race, and 159 write-in votes for Steven Spurr for council-at-large, the city said.

Each nominee received more than the required minimum number of votes and may be added as candidates to the November ballot.

Weck will challenge 1st Ward incumbent Andy Minegar, a Democrat, in November.

Spurr can challenge incumbent Councilwoman-at-Large Beth Little, also a Democrat.

The two Republicans did not file by the April deadline to be on the ballot in Tuesday's primary race.

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"Each write-in candidate will receive a letter from Summit City Clerk Rosemary Licatese with notice to contact the Office of the Union County Clerk within seven days from the date of the election to accept or reject the nomination," a city spokeswoman said. "June 8 Primary Election mail-in ballots that were postmarked by Tuesday, June 8 will continue to be counted until Monday, June 14. Provisional votes are still being counted as well. Primary election results will be certified on Tuesday, June 22. No other successful write-ins were noted."

Summit Patch will publish final totals when they are available.

In Ward 1, Republicans needed a minimum of 10 write-in votes; Democrats needed a minimum of 21 write-in votes. For council-at-large, Republicans needed a minimum of 22 write-in votes; Democrats needed a minimum of 50 votes.

These were the unofficial totals Tuesday night, according to the Union County Clerk's Office:

Council-at-large

• Incumbent Beth Little (D): 962
• Write-In (R): 159

1st Ward

• Andy Minegar (D): 429
• Write-In (R): 218*

*Former Police Chief Robert Weck had mounted a campaign to be a write-in Republican vote in the 1st Ward

2nd Ward (1-year term)

• Lisa Allen (R): 357
• Write-In (D): 18

2nd Ward (3-year term)

• Greg Vartan III (D): 519
• David Fosgate (R): 363

Polls closed in Summit at 8 p.m. for the New Jersey Primary Election races to determine which candidates would get the Democratic and Republican nominations to vie for four seats on the Summit Common Council this coming November.

READ MORE: Five Candidates File To Run For Summit Common Council

READ MORE: Summit Primary Election Vote Totals Are In

To contribute candidate information, suggestions, and more, email: caren.lissner@patch.com.

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