Absentee Ballots Cement Hermansen Victory, Candidates Say

After an unofficial absentee ballot count that improved his lead from 45 votes to 53, candidates said Wednesday afternoon that they believe Rob Hermansen has won an open seat on the Mahwah township council.

According to a preliminary count released by township clerk Kathy Coletta Wednesday afternoon, Hermansen received 75 votes on absentee ballots, and Jonathan Marcus, who is in second place, received 67.

Provisional ballots have yet to be counted, and Coletta said Wednesday afternoon she is unsure when they will be counted, or how many provisional ballots were cast in the township.

After news of the absentee counts Wednesday, Hermansen, a former Councilman and Bergen County Freeholder, told Patch he is confident that he won the election.

“I do believe I’ve won,” he said Wednesday.

“I don’t believe there are enough provisional ballots to change the election.”

The four-way race was for an unexpired one-year term on the township council. The absentee votes brought the total number of votes up to the following:

• Hermansen – 1,633
• Marcus – 1,580
• Wong – 1,293
• Sgambati – 372

“I am very excited, and ready to get to work,” Hermansen said Wednesday.

“That’s the great thing about Mahwah, the voters have always believed in my message. They’ve never let me down. Now it’s up to me to carry that out and give back to the town that’s given me so much.”

Hermansen also thanked voters, and his campaign team, for their support during the election process.

Marcus told Patch he, too, believes the provisionals will not change the outcome of the vote.

“I called Rob and left him a message congratulating him on winning the seat,” Marcus told Patch Wednesday afternoon.

“Both Rob and I have the best interest of the town at heart, and I’m sure he will do the best job he can for the township.”

Marcus, who was in a similar situation last year when he lost an election to Councilman Steve Sbarra by 37 votes, said he is planning to run again in 2014, when four seats – including Hermansen’s – will be up for election.

“I really appreciate everybody who came out to vote,” Marcus, who is still on the township’s Planning Board and Environmental Commission, said.

“When so many people put their support behind you, I don’t view this as a loss. I view it as momentum. As I see it, my campaign for 2014 begins today.”

The results of the election will not be official until they are certified by the county.