Democrats take lead in Salem County Commissioner races

Two Democratic candidates for Salem County commissioner have taken the lead after additional ballots were counted on Wednesday, reversing Republican advantages from election night and potentially disrupting the 5-0 GOP majority in a county that went for Donald Trump by 15 points in 2024.

Former Democratic Freeholder Charles Hassler, who trailed Republican Commissioner Ed Ramsay by 628 votes Tuesday night, moved ahead as additional mail-in ballots were counted. In a contest for an unexpired term, Democrat John “Buddy” Ayars also overtook Republican Commissioner Paul Collier, who had held a 1,261-vote advantage.

The dramatic turnaround came after a ballot scanner broke down Tuesday night, forcing election officials to suspend counting before they could process all ballots.

About 250 uncounted ballots could be processed as early as today; roughly 50 provisional ballots will wait until Monday.

The results remain unofficial, and neither race has been called.

A Democratic sweep would end four years of complete Republican control of the five-member Board of County Commissioners and give Democrats two seats on a governing body that Republicans have dominated since 2022.

It would also mark a political comeback for Hassler, who lost his commissioner seat to Ramsay in 2020 by approximately 375 votes.

Ramsay survived a Republican primary challenge earlier this year from construction company owner Lew Merryfield, who had the backing of fellow Republican Commissioner Dan Timmerman and the coveted top ballot position. Ramsay won the nomination decisively.

Collier, a former Lower Alloways Creek mayor, joined the commissioner board in January after Mickey Ostrum resigned to become Salem County Surrogate.

He won a Republican special election convention on the third ballot, defeating Carneys Point Committeeman Wayne Pelura, 33-16, and was seeking election to the remaining year of Ostrum’s term.

Salem County has a history of closely contested county elections and shifting political control.

Republicans won control of the county governing body in 2017, but Democrats subsequently persuaded a Republican freeholder to switch parties, giving them a majority. Republicans regained control in the 2018 election and completed their takeover of county government in 2022, when they won the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Commissioner Lee Ware.

The latest results raise the possibility that Democrats could regain a foothold in county government even as Salem County continues to vote Republican in federal elections.

Republican Justin Murphy carried Salem County against Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, while Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis) also won the county despite losing his congressional seat to Democrat Zach Mullock.  Murphy is ahead by 841, and Van Drew is up by 884.