Linden GOP mayoral primary tied

The GOP  primary for mayor of Linden is tied  at 207 votes each for Ricardo Maldonado and Russell Jones, but there are still some ballots that remain uncounted.

Republicans haven’t won a Linden mayoral race in 58 years and the winner of the June 7 primary – a full tally should be ready by the end of the week – will produce a general election in a race that is unwinnable for Maldonado or Jones against two-term Democratic Mayor Derek Armstead.

If the finally result is a tie, the local Republican party would pick the candidate unless a judge orders a do-over of the Republican primary this summer.

Just ten candidates filed for 72 county committee seats and those ten — it could be more, if there are write-in votes that have yet to be counted — would break the time.  Maldonado, who is a county committeeman, ran on the organization line.

Jones had led Maldonado by one vote, 197 to 196, after the polls closed that week.

Linden has not elected a Republican mayor since Alexander Wrigley ousted 14-year incumbent William Hurst by just 12 votes.

Jut six vote separate two Republican candidates for mayor of Roselle Park, with Mariann Brenner leading Jocelyn Greb, 230 to 224.  It’s not clear how many votes are left to be counted.

The winner will take on Mayor Joseph Signorello, a Democrat.