PASCACK VALLEY VOTERS turned out in high percentages for the highly contested Nov. 3 Presidential Election, with Washington Township voters topping our eight covered towns with slightly more than 77 percent turnout.
With the caveat that the Board of Elections is still counting ballots and may not be done until Nov. 20, when County Clerk John Hogan must certify the election results, six of our eight Pascack Valley towns gave President-elect Joseph R. Biden a majority of votes, while two towns pulled overall for Donald J. Trump’s re-election bid.
Most towns also gave slight majorities to other Democratic candidates at the top of the ballot.
Bergen County officials said county turnout was 67.6 percent, with 670,313 registered voters casting 453,020 ballots.
Washington Township and Borough of Emerson voters narrowly approved majorities for Republican candidates for President, Senate, Congress, and County Commissioners across the board.
Hillsdale, Montvale, Park Ridge, River Vale, Westwood, and Woodcliff Lake gave vote majorities to Democratic Presidential, Congressional and County Commissioner candidates.
River Vale’s registered voters are majority Republican and overwhelmingly supported three incumbent Republican council candidates, who ran unopposed. For more, see our Oct. 13 story, “Valley Adds 2,508 Voters to Rolls; ‘Unaffiliated’ Top Choice.”
Moreover, Pascack Press recently reported five of six Pascack Valley town councils showed Republican gains or maintaining seats, except for Woodcliff Lake where three Democrats won election. (See our Nov. 9 item, “Winners in Council Races.”)
Emerson posted 76.8 percent voter turnout; Hillsdale came out 75.2 percent strong.
That said, due to late-arriving mail-in ballots—those postmarked Nov. 3 are acceptable until Nov. 10—and provisional votes set to be counted Nov. 10, final turnout percentages are subject to change.
In line with the Garden State overall, each of our towns approved all three public questions, including a constitutional amendment to legalize sale of recreational marijuana to residents 21 and over.
According to Board of Elections officials, “blank” ballots indicate that the voter failed to complete one of the two ballot pages they were given. Voters most often neglected their second page, leaving lower responses for school board elections. The ballot tally given are the page-1 ballots, officials said.
Here’s a rundown of Pascack Valley vote totals for President, U.S. Senate, U.S. Congress, and the three public questions.
EMERSON
- Of 5,728 registered voters, approximately 76.8 percent turned out to vote, casting 4,403 ballots. There were 2,265 votes for Donald Trump, 2,060 for Joe Biden.
- For U.S. Senate, Rikin Mehta (R) got 2,185 votes and Cory Booker (D) earned 2,024.
- For U.S. House 5th District, 2,180 borough voters backed Frank Pallotta (R), 2,054 helped re-elect Josh Gottheimer (D).
- County Commissioner: Ronald Kistner (R) 2,210, Simone Tsigounis (R) 2,223, Joan M. Voss (D) 1,900, Ramon M. Hache (D) 1,798.
- Legalize marijuana? Yes 1,828, no 1,096.
- Tax rebate for peacetime vets? Yes 2,106, no 700.
- Change redistricting schedule? Yes 1,320, no 1,238.
HILLSDALE
- Of 8,566 registered voters, 75.2 percent turned out to vote, casting 6,447 ballots. There were 2,861 for Donald Trump, 3,442 for Joe Biden.
- For U.S. Senate, Rikin Mehta (R) got 2,869 votes and Cory Booker (D) earned 3,335.
- For U.S. House 5th District, 2,821 borough voters backed Frank Pallotta (R), 3,365 helped re-elect Josh Gottheimer (D).
- County Commissioner: Ronald Kistner (R) 2,965, Simone Tsigounis (R) 2,990, Joan M. Voss (D) 3,050, Ramon M. Hache (D) 2,899.
- Legalize marijuana? Yes 2,868, no 1,350.
- Tax rebate for peacetime vets? Yes 3,068, no 1,004.
- Change redistricting schedule? Yes 2,053, no 1,700.
MONTVALE
- Of 6,683 registered voters, 69 percent turned out to vote, casting 4,603 ballots. There were 2,052 for Donald Trump, 2,455 for Joe Biden.
- For U.S. Senate, Rikin Mehta (R) got 2,080 votes and Cory Booker (D) earned 2,325.
- For U.S. House 5th District, 2,069 borough voters backed Frank Pallotta (R), 2,366 helped re-elect Josh Gottheimer (D).
- County Commissioner: Ronald Kistner (R) 2,138, Simone Tsigounis (R) 2,153, Joan M. Voss (D) 2,138, Ramon M. Hache (D) 2,033.
- Legalize marijuana? Yes 1,884, no 1,043.
- Tax rebate for peacetime vets? Yes 2,095, no 749.
- Change redistricting schedule? Yes 1,472, no 1,112.
PARK RIDGE
- Of 7,207 registered voters, 73 percent turned out to vote, casting 5236 ballots. There were 2,527 votes for Donald Trump, 2,610 for Joe Biden.
- For U.S. Senate, Rikin Mehta (R) got 2,512 votes and Cory Booker (D) earned 2,533.
- For U.S. House 5th District, 2,426 borough voters backed Frank Pallotta (R), 2,618 helped re-elect Josh Gottheimer (D).
- County Commissioner: Ronald Kistner (R) 2,524, Simone Tsigounis (R) 2,530, Joan M. Voss (D) 2,398, Ramon M. Hache (D) 2,281.
- Legalize marijuana? Yes 2,211, no 1,238.
- Tax rebate for peacetime vets? Yes 2,495, no 844.
- Change redistricting schedule? Yes 1,709, no 1,320.
RIVER VALE
- Of 8,513 registered voters, 72 percent turned out to vote, casting 6,141 ballots. There were 2,761 votes for Donald Trump, 3,242 for Joe Biden.
- For U.S. Senate, Rikin Mehta (R) got 2,811 votes and Cory Booker (D) earned 3,100.
- For U.S. House 5th District, 2,802 borough voters backed Frank Pallotta (R), 3,110 helped re-elect Josh Gottheimer (D).
- County Commissioner: Ronald Kistner (R) 2,804, Simone Tsigounis (R) 2,818, Joan M. Voss (D) 2,873, Ramon M. Hache (D) 2,730.
- Legalize marijuana? Yes 2,793, no 1,392
- Tax rebate for peacetime vets? Yes 3,038, no 1,031.
- Change redistricting schedule? Yes 2,041, no 1,713.
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON
- Of 7,746 registered voters, 77.3 percent turned out to vote, casting 5,988 ballots. There were 3,086 votes for Donald Trump, 2,785 for Joe Biden.
- For U.S. Senate, Rikin Mehta (R) got 3,037 votes and Cory Booker (D) earned 2,741.
- For U.S. House 5th District, 2,988 township voters backed Frank Pallotta (R), 2,787 helped re-elect Josh Gottheimer (D).
- County Commissioner: Ronald Kistner (R) 3,074, Simone Tsigounis (R) 3,088, Joan M. Voss (D) 2,558, Ramon M. Hache (D) 2,427.
- Legalize marijuana? Yes 2,557, no 1564.
- Tax rebate for peacetime vets? Yes 2,987, no 1,003.
- Change redistricting schedule? Yes 1,844, no 1812.
WESTWOOD
- Of 8,552 registered voters, 73 percent turned out to vote, casting 6,189 ballots. There were 2,542 votes for Donald Trump, 3,482 for Joe Biden.
- For U.S. Senate, Rikin Mehta (R) got 2,499 votes and Cory Booker (D) earned 3,403.
- For U.S. House 5th District, 2,496 borough voters backed Frank Pallotta (R), 3,425 helped re-elect Josh Gottheimer (D).
- County Commissioner: Ronald Kistner (R) 2,594, Simone Tsigounis (R) 2,595, Joan M. Voss (D) 3,158, Ramon M. Hache (D) 2,992.
- Legalize marijuana? Yes 2,768, no 1,490.
- Tax rebate for peacetime vets? Yes 3,150, no 963.
- Change redistricting schedule? Yes 2,211, no 1,569.
WOODCLIFF LAKE
- Of 5,187 registered voters, 69 percent turned out to vote, casting 3,549 ballots. There were 1,314 votes for Donald Trump, 2,142 for Joe Biden.
- For U.S. Senate, Rikin Mehta (R) got 1,403 votes and Cory Booker (D) earned 2,033.
- For U.S. House 5th District, 1,346 borough voters backed Frank Pallotta (R), 2,108 helped re-elect Josh Gottheimer (D).
- County Commissioner: Ronald Kistner (R) 1,443, Simone Tsigounis (R) 1,469, Joan M. Voss (D) 1,885, Ramon M. Hache (D) 1,824.
- Legalize marijuana? Yes 1,526, no 725.
- Tax rebate for peacetime vets? Yes 1,605, no 562.
- Change redistricting schedule? Yes 1,198, no 800.
Editor’s Note: For updated mail-in ballot and provisional unofficial results—indeed, for final and certified results when available—visit bergencountyclerk.org.