In a surprising turn of events, the recent election for Toms River Fire District 1’s Board of Commissioners was decided by a single write-in vote, altering the initial outcome and prompting legal scrutiny.
Initial Tie and Subsequent Discovery
The February 15 election initially resulted in a tie between candidates Anthony Cirz and Michael Hopson, each receiving 615 votes. However, during routine post-election procedures on February 24, financial clerk Dawn Halliwell discovered a write-in vote for Cirz while handling voting machine tapes from the East Dover Fire Company. This additional vote brought Cirz’s total to 616, giving him a one-vote lead over Hopson.
Halliwell, after confirming with the county Board of Elections that a voter couldn’t both select a candidate and write in another, updated her election results spreadsheet to include the newfound vote. She placed the revised spreadsheet on a colleague’s chair but did not inform others of the change. The oversight was only noticed on March 5, just before the board’s reorganization meeting, leading to Cirz being sworn in that day.
Legal Challenges and Court Proceedings
Hopson contested the updated results, filing a lawsuit against the fire district and questioning the legitimacy of the late-discovered vote. During a civil trial in Ocean County Superior Court, Judge Craig L. Wellerson expressed concerns about the procedures that led to the amended results, emphasizing the need for transparency and proper protocol in election processes.
Despite objections from the fire district’s attorney, Cirz was seated on the board, becoming the deciding vote on a previously divided panel. The trial is ongoing, with further hearings scheduled to delve deeper into the election’s handling and the implications of the additional vote.
Implications and Community Response
The incident has sparked discussions about election integrity and the importance of clear procedures for handling write-in votes. As the legal proceedings continue, the community awaits a resolution that upholds the principles of fair and transparent elections.
