Recount set in Bogota mayoral race, a 7-vote election

A judge has ordered a recount later this week in the Bogota mayoral race, where Republican Daniele Fede leads Democrat Mary Ellen Murphy by seven votes.

Fede had led by eleven votes on election night, but now leads, 828 to 821 (50.2% t0 49.8%).

In court filings, Murphy claims not all of the Election Day votes were counted and that “Dominion voting machines did not record their vote or were not functioning when they attempted to vote.”

She also cited a letter Bergen County Executive James Tedesco and County Commissioner Thomas Sullivan sent to county election officials expressing  concern over “the presence of malfunctioning machines, insufficiently trained poll workers, and the long lines many voters experienced.”

Last week, a recount in another Bergen County municipality, Oakland, added 84 votes for  Democratic Mayor Linda Schwager and 50 for her Republican challenger, Councilman Eric Kulmala.  That cut Kulmala’s margin of victory from 56 to 33, a 41.1% difference from the certified count

Murphy gave up her council seat to run for mayor.  Republican Chris Keleman did not seek re-election after two terms.  Fede is a former councilwoman, attorney, and first responder.

Democrats narrowly held their 6-0 majority.  Diana Vergara won an open seat with 849 votes, and former Councilwoman Lisa Kohles defeated Republican Michael Connors by 15 votes, 828  to 813.  Another GOP candidate, Marco Navarro, has 750 votes.

Connors did not seek a recount, and the order signed by Superior Court Judge Rudolph Filko only ordered the recounting of the mayoral election.

Gov. Phil Murphy won Bogota with 60% of the vote two years ago.

Bogota put conservative leader Steve Lonegan on the map when he was elected mayor in 1995 and re-elected twice.