Middletown Dems to ask for recount
31-vote margin prompts request
By elaine van develde
Staff Writer

Middletown’s Democrats are hoping a recount will unseat longtime Republican incumbent Mayor Patrick Parkinson after his marginal win to a sixth term on the Township Committee.

In the Nov. 5 race, Parkinson garnered 9,834 votes in comparison to challenger Beverly Bova-Scarano’s 9,803, a 31-vote difference.

Bova-Scarano’s running mate, Irvin Beaver, brought in 9,105 votes, while GOP incumbent Raymond O’Grady grabbed 10,032.

Without absentee ballots, Bova-Scarano had a slight edge over Parkinson, with 9,481 votes to his 9,473.

In addition, there are 39 provisional ballots that have not yet been counted, said Monmouth County Superintendent of Elections John Bradshaw. Bradshaw is the former Republican mayor of Hazlet.

Votes were scheduled to be certified Tuesday morning, after which time Middletown Township Democratic Executive Committee Chairman Joseph Caliendo was expected to file for the recount.

Bradshaw said the process requires that those requesting the recount file a court order with state Superior Court, Freehold.

Those filing will appear before a judge who will set the time and date of the recount.

On the day of the recount, voting machines will be opened and all ballots will be counted for a second time.

"It’s a matter of understanding the logic of people who are close to winning in an election and want to make sure no stone is left unturned," Bradshaw said.

Bradshaw said that in his four years as county election superintendent, a vote has never been overturned because of recount results, but the Democrats felt the margin was just too close to a win to walk away from the process.

There is a cost for the process, which Caliendo said should be about $4,000 to $5,000. That cost will be absorbed by the challenging party.

"We have to do it," Caliendo said. "There could be a margin of human error that will change the results. We won’t know until we check. We don’t want it to be a case of wondering a year from now whether or not we were really the winners."

Caliendo said this election is like déjà vu. The last time Parkinson and O’Grady ran, four years ago, Caliendo also called for a recount. The Democratic contenders were John Maughton and Jack Tinari.

"In that last recount, we picked up 100 votes," Caliendo said. "It didn’t change things, but it showed the possibility for a margin of error. This is only 31 votes."

Bradshaw likened gaining votes from the process to climbing Mount Everest.

"Five votes is Mount Everest. If you’re a candidate in this position, you want to ask yourself, ‘Do I want to climb Mount Everest six times?’" he asked.

Bova-Scarano holds out hope for a victory. This is her third run for a seat on the Township Committee, and the votes were closer than ever this time around.

"It’s so close," she said. "We just won’t know until we check it out. This election, in particular, extended into the later hours of the evening. You really don’t know who may have been tired or what numbers could have been inadvertently juxtaposed. It’s just something I think we need to do."

Middletown Township Republican Executive Committee Chairman Peter Carton said there is no need for a recount because he’s confident his candidate will prevail.

Calling this year’s campaign a "rotten and scurrilous" one at the hands of the Democratic challengers, Carton said he hasn’t seen many successful recounts.

"I have confidence in the vote and the board workers," Carton said. "If the Democrats feel they must do this, well then let them. It takes a full day to do a recount for a town the size of Middletown. Regardless, it’ll be done in time for Jan. 1 when Parkinson gets sworn in to his sixth term."

Carton called the recount another by-product of a nasty campaign.

He said despite a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Parkinson, the Township Committee and Middletown, "Parkinson deserves to prevail as the winner. I believe Pat (Parkinson) when he says the suit has no merit. I feel confident the vote will remain in his favor."

Parkinson did not return phone calls for comment.

"The fact remains that no one’s spending money for a party to celebrate a victory yet," Bradshaw said. "There’s no reason yet to expect the 31-vote difference to be made up by a recount. Still, the opportunity exists for a reason, and it can’t hurt. At the very least, it will settle people’s minds."