Democrats swept Pemberton Township’s mayoral and council races Tuesday, with Belinda Fontanez unseating Republican Mayor Matthew Bianchini and Democrats Frank Dickey, Debra Kauffman and Jason Allen winning council seats.
Fontanez defeated Bianchini, who sought his first full term after being appointed mayor in January following Jack Tompkins’ resignation. The race drew added attention in its final weeks after Bianchini was restrained and removed from a Township Council meeting following a confrontation with a resident, an incident reported by Pine Barrens Tribune.
Fontanez received 3,998 votes to 1,983 for Bianchini. Republican Councilman Dan Dewey, who mounted a write-in campaign for mayor, was credited with 50 write-in votes; another 513 write-ins have not yet been attributed to a candidate.
Dickey and Kauffman won the two full-term council seats, defeating Republicans Daniel A. Dewey and Mildred “Millie” Tuchez. Dickey received 3,936 votes, Kauffman received 3,927, Dewey received 2,474; Tuchez received 2,443.
Allen, a former councilman seeking a return to office, won the unexpired council term over Republican Tracey Ricciardelli, receiving 4,012 votes to 2,416.
Pemberton is a Democratic-leaning township. Kamala Harris carried Pemberton by 5
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