Vicari, Colabella Hold Big Leads In Ocean County Races

Toms River NJ

04 November, 2020

10:09 PM

Description

TOMS RIVER, NJ — With the ballots still being counted in Ocean County on Wednesday evening, Ocean County incumbent freeholder Joseph Vicari and county clerk Scott A. Colabella held significant leads in their 2020 election races. According to unofficial tallies on the Board of Elections website, Vicari, a Republican seeking his 14th three-year term on the Board of Freeholders, had received 164,383 votes so far, well ahead of Helen de la Cruz, the Democrat challenging him for the seat. She had 92,333 votes as of Wednesday night. Libertarian Dan Valentine has received 2,719 votes so far. Colabella, a Republican seeking his third five-year term as the county clerk, has 166,828 votes according to the unofficial tallies. He was elected in 2010 after seven years of serving as the deputy county clerk. Challenger Kathy Russell, a Democrat who served on the Brick Township Council for three terms, has received 92,226 votes so far. There were a little over 49,000 mail-in ballots yet to be counted as of Wednesday, Colabella said by email. Those 49,000 do not include mail-in ballots that were postmarked Nov. 3 but have not arrived at the Board of Elections yet. Ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 and received at the Board of Elections no later than 8 p.m. on Nov. 10 will be counted, Colabella said. Click here to get Patch email notifications, or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here. Have a news tip? Email [email protected] Follow Toms River Patch on Facebook.