Politics & Government

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.

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.

Find out what's happening in West Deptfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“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.

Find out what's happening in West Deptfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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.”


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