Politics & Government

Ellen Dickson New Summit Mayor as GOP Candidates Sweep

Summit's voter turnout is around 36 percent.

At one point on Tuesday, it seemed like it could be anyone's mayoral race. At the senior center on Chestnut Avenue, an octogenarian who considers herself a Democrat said she voted for Ellen Dickson. A patron at the Summit Diner when pressed about the election said he didn't care who won, "as long as Michael Vernotico became mayor." Another voter, who said she met with Democratic candidates at a block party over the summer said she voted for Eileen Ludden because she felt like she "knew" her.

Mayor Jordan Glatt made history as Summit's first Democratic mayor in a century and as he decided not to seek re-election, Dickson won the election that will return a Republican to office again. With three candidates seeking to take over his post, Dickson won her mayoral bid with 1,954 votes, or 39 percent of votes, topping Democrat Eileen Forman Ludden, who earned 1,699 votes, or 34 percent. Independent candidate Michael Vernotico trailed with 1,313 votes, or nearly 26 percent.

According to the unofficial polling results Dickson won the most votes in Ward I in Districts 5 and 7, earning two-times as many votes as Ludden. 

Find out what's happening in Summitwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Rounding out the Repubican ticket winners were Rob Rubino, who won Ward 1 with 55 percent of the vote; Gregory Drummond who took his At-Large post with 53.6 percent; and in a tight race for Ward 2 councilman, Patrick Hurley who edged past A. Dennis White with 50.3 percent of the vote. 

Andy Smith of Summit earned 27,635 votes or 18 percent in his bid for Union County freeholder.

Find out what's happening in Summitwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A total of 4,925 Summit voters took to the polls this election out of 13,522 registered voters in the city, or just over 36 percent of those registered bothered to vote. Turnout in Ward 2 was just 2.3 percent higher than in Ward I.

 


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