Democrats now lead Somerset by 540 votes

In a race to decide control of the Somerset County Board of Freeholders, Democrat Melonie Marano has grown her lead from 341 to 540 against incumbent Pat Walsh.

There are still about 1,300 provisional ballots left to be counted.

A win by Marano will shift the freeholder board to a 3-2 Democratic majority.

Republicans had a 5-0 majority going into the 2018 election, when two Republican incumbents were unseated.