By VASHTI HARRIS
Staff Writer
EAST BRUNSWICK- The campaign signs have been moved and the votes are in — and the Township of East Brunswick has elected mayoral candidate Dr. Brad Cohen along with incumbent Town Council candidate Michael Spadafino and council-elect Sterley Stanley to represent its residents.
Cohen won 54 percent (11,105) of the votes versus current council vice President and Republican candidate James Wendell’s 46 percent (9,555) for the position of mayor, according to Middlesex County election results.
“We are absolutely thrilled and grateful. And we are thankful to all the residents of East Brunswick who came out and voted for us. We are ready to make this town one and we are going to work with everyone, even those that did not vote for us,” Cohen said.
“We do feel that we East Brunswick Republicans did not lose anything in this election cycle, but merely did not gain any additional seats on council or the mayor’s seat, which has seen Democrats elected to fill that chair for more than 20 years,” Wendell said. “As a candidate for mayor, I was in a unique position, as I did not risk my seat on Town Council, and as such will continue, and look forward to working with Mr. Cohen as our new mayor in January,” Wendell said.
Spadafino won 29 percent of the votes and Stanley won 26 percent of the votes for two seats on the council. Republicans Mark Csizmar and Jane Mueller both won 22 percent of the votes, according to the Middlesex County results.
“I am so grateful and glad. I am so happy knowing that my runningmates [Cohen and Stanley], who I have worked with diligently, whose voices resonate with mine, will be joining me as our new mayor and town council member. It just makes me smile,” Spadafino said.
“The people of East Brunswick have spoken. We are grateful to all the residents who came out and voted for us. From the beginning of July we went door to door talking with East Brunswick residents, listening to their concerns about this township. We heard them and we are ready to make change happen,” Stanley said.
Mueller responded by saying, “I think the American people made there choice. I believe that all of the candidates are good people and we all want to do good for the town. It’s not the end. We love this town and we will continue help make this town better. We are all in the same boat so let’s work together to make this town better.”
Csizmar thanked residents for their support, while also wishing the best to the three elected council members.
“They are three good men that care about the township and will work hard for us. I am thankful that we live in the greatest country in the world and we are all free to speak our minds without fear,” he said.
Going forward, the elected officials already have plans for the township.
“We are going to sit down with the present mayor and start going over the present status of our township so that we can immediately begin working on the issues we discussed throughout our campaign,” Cohen said.
“I want to start getting the Shop East Brunswick program established to help bring more business to the township. I also want to really start helping to better our economic department,” Spadafino said.
“From talking to many residents throughout East Brunswick since July, I have a list of things that I want to change and that I plan on changing,” Stanley said.
Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@gmnews.com.
