East Brunswick GOP decides against recount
Councilman-elect says 30-vote margin shows 'every vote counts'
BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer

Edward Luster

EAST BRUNSWICK - Township Republicans opted not to ask for a recount of last month's election tallies, officially giving Democrats control of all five Township Council seats.

GOP representatives had suggested the possibility of a recount after the Nov. 7 election, when Democrat incumbents Catherine Diem and David Stahl were clear victors but a narrower margin separated Democrat Edward Luster from the top Republican vote-getter, Suzanne Blum.

Initial tallies showed a margin of only six votes, and Blum said she would definitely seek a recount. But absentee and provisional ballots gave Luster a further edge, and by the time all the votes were counted, Luster's lead had increased to 30 votes, enough to discourage Republicans from requesting a recount, according to GOP Party Chairman Charles Bruno.

The final count was 6,451 votes for Luster, 6,421 for Blum.

Blum said Bruno left the recount decision up to her and said he would support whatever position she took. After consulting with a lawyer and getting advice from party members, she decided it was best to let the results stand.

Suzanne Blum

A recount would have entailed going over the provisional and absentee votes, as well as examining ballots that were thrown out, Bruno said.

"We didn't see where we could pick up the votes we needed unless we went into the [voting] machines," Bruno said. But there would only be a minimal chance of any change in the results, because the machines are very accurate, he said.

"Our lawyer didn't think there was much chance to find any errors there," he said.

"I thought it was much more feasible to overcome six votes," Blum said.

It was a tough decision, Blum said, noting that she did not want to disappoint the people who worked for the campaign and other supporters. She said she received e-mails and calls from many people who wanted a recount.

Bruno said Democrats now have the ball in their court as far as determining what happens in East Brunswick.

"Now the Democrats can either take all the blame or credit," he said.

Blum said the close race shows just how important it is for people to vote.

Stahl and Diem each won a second four-year term in the election and, with Luster, defeated a Republican ticket that included Blum, Robert Tagliente and Dr. Eugene DeMarzo.

Luster, taking over Jan. 1 for Republican Councilwoman Christie Calvano, who did not seek re-election, thanked Blum for running what he described as a clean campaign without personal attacks.

The councilman-elect said the closeness of the election "proves that every vote counts" and shows the need for residents to come out to the polls.

With just a few weeks until he takes office, Luster said he is "excited" about getting on board.

"I've been attending more meetings to get a better glimpse of how things work," he said. "And I've been speaking to even more people around town about what they'd like to see when I take office."