CRESSKILL, N.J.—Newcomer Leslie Kaplan picked up two additional votes and incumbent Simone Tsigounis picked up one vote in a recount Dec. 2 that assured Kaplan’s victory in the tightly-contested Cresskill Borough Council race.
Kaplan held an unofficial three-vote lead over Tsigounis (635-632) following counting of mail-in and provisional ballots. The recount vote totals added one mail-in vote and one provisional vote for Kaplan and one mail-in ballot for Tsigounis.
“I’m very happy of course,” said Kaplan, reached Dec. 3, following the recount, adding he was confident in his victory.
“I gave them a choice and they gave me a chance,” Kaplan said of Cresskill voters.
He said he had not yet heard from Tsigounis by mid-afternoon Dec. 3 following his recount victory.
Kaplan thanked county election officials, Bergen County Clerk John Hogan and the Board of Elections’ six commissioners who oversaw the election and recount “for a fair and honest election.”
He thanked the voters of Cresskill for electing him and declined to elaborate on any post-election priorities.
Incumbent Councilman Mark Spina was the clear Election Day winner with 717 votes.
Borough voters also reelected Mayor Benedict Romeo—who was unopposed—with 731 votes.
The petition for recount was filed by attorney Charles Rabolli for Tsigounis on Nov. 22.
The recount petition requested: making sure all who requested a mail-in ballot received it; making sure all mail-in ballots received by Nov. 7 were tabulated; and verifying ballots for any potential miscount of ballots.
Tsigounis previously told Northern Valley Press that following the recount, she and her attorney would further consider whether to challenge the election results.
Tsigounis’ attorney Charles Rabolli, of Messineo Law, told Northern Valley Press Dec. 13 that his client will accept the outcome of the vote and will not pursue any further challenlge.
Editor’s note: This article was updated Dec. 13.
