Democrats hold both seats in Cranford

Democrats held both seats on the Cranford Township Committee, avoiding the development-related losses they took in other train station communities like Millburn, Summit, and Westfield.

Paul Gallo, appointed to fill a vacancy this summer and stepped in as a replacement candidate, defeated Republican Michael Petrucci by twelve votes, 3,212 to 2,200.  Another Democrat, Mayor Brian Andrews, was re-elected with 3,272 votes; Petrucci’s GOP running mate, Deirdre Koczur, received 3,195 votes.  The GOP candidates had led on election night.

Democrats maintain their 4-1 majority.

In another Union County train station town, Garwood, Democrat Karina Boto defeated Republican Michele Capobianco by thirteen votes, 604 to 591.  Democrat Vincent Kearney was the top vote-getter with 621 votes; Republican Shannon Anwander finished fourth with 577.    Democrat Sean Keagan Foley captured an unexpired term on the borough council with a 24-vote win over Republican Rachel Herz.

Kenilworth Mayor Linda Karlovitch’s final re-election margin was 42 votes against Republican Scott Pentz, a councilman.  Democrats won both council seats.

Summit elected a Republican mayor and gained majority control of the common council.  Democrats lost four town council seats in Democratic Mayor Shelley Brindle’s mid-term election.