SAYREVILLE – In a tight race for the mayor’s office in Sayreville, Republican candidate Arthur Rittenhouse has filed a petition in New Jersey Superior Court to seek a recount of the election after results from Middlesex County showed Democrat Victoria Kilpatrick winning the position by three votes.
As of Nov. 28, the recount is scheduled for Dec. 5, Rittenhouse said.
According to the results posted online by the Middlesex County Clerk’s Office, Kilpatrick edged out Rittenhouse in a three vote difference, receiving 3,629 votes compared to his 3,626 votes.
If the results stand, Kilpatrick will succeed Republican Kennedy O’Brien as the borough’s first new mayor in two decades and her term will run from 2020 through 2023. O’Brien, who has held the position since 2000 and is Sayreville’s longest-serving mayor, did not file for re-election.
As Kilpatrick is currently serves on the Borough Council, her council seat will be vacated, if the results stand, and a member of her party will be appointed to the seat for a one-year term in 2020.
A statement from Rittenhouse mentioned he filed a petition in Superior Court for a recount of the election. According to the release, Rittenhouse seeks a recall due to alleged irregularities and the closeness of the vote.
Irregularities cited by Rittenhouse in the statement that allegedly occurred include 41 provisional ballots not counted because of poll worker error and malfunctioning of one of the machines used to count the mail-in ballots, with the original count from the malfunctioning machine being erased after there was a rerun of the votes.
“These are just two examples and residents have been calling with other irregularities,” the statement said. “Rittenhouse thanks all the residents who have supported him and wish the county would do a recount and check as to why these irregularities could happen.”
