The announcement came just before 3 a.m. Wednesday that Clinton had conceded; local races in Camden County had been decided much earlier in the evening.
By Matt Skoufalos | November 8, 2016
President-Elect Donald Trump.
Many Americans looking for a clear winner on Election Day would go to bed still awaiting the results of a U.S. Presidential race that was close enough to send poll-watchers scrambling as the evening wore on.
But at 2:45 a.m., national reports broke in that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton had conceded the race to Republican candidate Donald Trump, less than an hour after Clinton campaign manager John Podesta had urged her supporters to head home and wait for final ballot counts.
In his remarks, Trump was gracious and complimentary to his opponent, whom he described as a dedicated public servant and a tough competitor.
“Now it is time for us to bind the wounds of division,” Trump said. “It is time for us to come together as one united people. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president of all Americans.”
Trump spoke of the groundswell that put him in office as “not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement,” and promised to put millions of Americans to work rebuilding a domestic infrastructure that he promised would become “second to none.”
“We must reclaim our country’s destiny, and be big and bold and daring,” the president-elect said.
Clinton did not appear publicly.
U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross speaks at the AFL-CIO Labor Day Celebration in Collingswood. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
U.S. Congressional Race
In New Jersey’s First Congressional District, Democratic incumbent Donald Norcross outpaced Republican Bob Patterson of Haddonfield to retain his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Camden County Freeholder Race
Democratic incumbents Edward McDonnell and Carmen Rodriguez defeated Republican hopefuls Rob Stone and Claire Gustafson by a wide margin to keep their seats on the county board of chosen freeholders.
Ballot Questions
In the first of two ballot measures, New Jersey voters declined to expand gambling beyond Atlantic County, but backed a second question dedicating additional revenue from taxes on gas, diesel fuel, and petroleum products to the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF).
Local Races
All results are unofficial until verified by the Camden County Board of Elections.
Carolyn Jacobs. Credit: Cherry Hill Township.
In Cherry Hill, Democratic Cherry Hill Councilwoman Carolyn Jacobs retained her unexpired council seat against a push from Republican challenger Rick Short.
In Haddon Heights, voters returned a split ticket, returning Republican incumbent Susan Griffith to office along with Democratic challenger Bryan Schroeder. Schroeder only landed three more votes than his running mate, Democratic challenger Chris Linaris, and 23 more than incumbent appointee Vincent Ceroli.
All results are unofficial and do not include mail-in and absentee ballots. The results of the last Haddon Heights council election were overturned by a recount, and until the counts are finalized, these returns are close enough to possibly be revisited.
Susan Griffith and Bryan Schroeder.
In Haddonfield, voters overwhelmingly made permanent an open-space tax for local spending on greenspace, parks, and historic preservation.
The tax will max out at 1¢ per $100 levied, or $49.14 annually for a home assessed at the borough median of $491,359.
The tax has never been collected at more than a half-cent rate, which equates to roughly $25 annually per household, on average.
Other local government races were uncontested:
- Incumbent Merchantville Democratic Councilman Anthony Perno and former Farmers Market coordinator Griffin Kidd won the two available seats on the borough council.
- On the Democratic ballot in Oaklyn, Board of Education members Rob Skowrownek and Krista Egan took two seats on the borough council.
- Incumbent Pennsauken Deputy Mayor Rick Taylor also won reelection to the township council on the Democratic ticket.
Local School Board Races
- In Audubon, Board of Education incumbent Ammie Davis was the leading vote-getter, followed by challenger Everett “Ed” Simpson and incumbent Joseph Ryan.
- The Cherry Hill Board of Education will welcome challengers Ruth Schultz, the top vote-getter in the race, and Edward Wang, as well as incumbent Jane Scarpellino.
- Collingswood voters elected an entire slate of challengers, led by top vote-getter Raymond Becker, Jr., and including newcomers Jason Waugh and Clinton Connor.
- Haddon Heights Board of Education incumbents Jane Shissler, Michael Cicalese, and Lisa Long were all returned to office.
- In an uncontested race, the Haddonfield Board of Education retained members Maureen Eyles, who is completing an unexpired term, leading vote-getter Mary Fagan, and fellow incumbents David Siedell and Matt Ritter.
- Sitting Haddon Township Board of Education President Mark Cavallo retained his position on the school board, but was the third finisher of three, behind challengers Walter Eife and Marie Dezii.
- Incumbents on the Merchantville Board of Education will all return to office: Jennifer Perno, Anjali Desai, Albert Vitiello, and Lee Plenn, who is serving an unexpired term.
- Oaklyn Board of Education incumbents William Stauts, Christine Reily, and Todd Schaefer all ran unopposed to retain their seats.
- Pennsauken Board of Education President Nick Perry was the top vote-getter in the race, followed closely by challenger Jennifer Slattery; farther down was incumbent JoAnn Young.
Get more local news that matters. Check out NJ Pen on Facebook and Twitter, or click here to become a supporter.
