DiCarlo Lead Widens as Vote Certification Nears
Challenger Jeff Hansen hasn't conceded the race, but updated vote totals stack up in incumbent Denice DiCarlo's favor.
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Denice DiCarlo’s lead over challenger Jeff Hansen for a West Deptford Township Committee seat has grown as the county continues to count ballots.
As of Friday, the vote totals stood at 5,212 to 5,066, with provisional ballots included. The 146-vote lead has increased from the 99 votes that separated DiCarlo, a Democrat, and Hansen, a Republican, on Election Day.
The county must certify the votes by Wednesday, Nov. 21. Superstorm Sandy, which displaced many voters around New Jersey, accounts for the delay in certification. Gov. Chris Christie ordered election boards to accept ballots until Nov. 19.
“Some counties are still working to separate the displaced voters and may not have sent us all eligible ballots for displaced Gloucester County voters,” Stephanie Salvatore, superintendent of elections in Gloucester County, told Patch.
Hansen and the West Deptford Republican Party declined to concede the race to DiCarlo after Election Day. The town’s GOP group said it would keep all options open, but came short of calling for a recount immediately after the election.
Denny Forte, township GOP chair, declined to elaborate Friday, saying that the party will make a decision when the votes are fully counted.
Gerald White, chair of the West Deptford Democratic Party, said the increase in DiCarlo’s lead is “not surprising.” He’s not concerned that the Republicans have not formally conceded.
“We understood from Election Day that most of the provisional and vote-by-mail ballots were from registered Democratic voters,” he said. “Denice is going to be certified the winner. They don’t have to agree.”
Jesse Salters@gmail.com
9:23 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
The lead widens in favor of DiCarlo and Hansen still will not concede? What's the deal Forte, you lost. Do the right thing and concede the election.
noresponsenovote
9:23 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
I'm no DiCarlo fan by any stretch, but she won fair and square. By not conceding, Hansen exhibits the arrogance that contirbuted to his failed campaign.
Meanwhile, let's hope DiCarlo can take time away from inflating her resume' long enough to do some actual township committee work, and instruct her husband to stop heckling people at the township meetings. The taxpayers pay for a WD police officer to be at the meetings to serve as a Sergeant-at-Arms. He or she should start doing their duty a little better.
Wayne Klotz
5:53 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012
Way to go, Denice!! Jeff, please concede!! Noresposenovote; the police officer that is present, do a nice job! So think before you write on here! Also, I sit next to John DICARLO and I have never seen him heckling anybody like the republicans do in the audience!!!!
Jesse Salters@gmail.com
7:51 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012
Hansen got destroyed yet again and this is a clear indictment of the vindictive political smear campaigns of Chintall & Cianfarini. The people have had enough of you two. Try to govern and stop politicizing every single issue. You two have accomplished nothing in an entire year.