PASCACK VALLEY—The blue wave that swept Democrats to control of Congress on Nov. 3 gently lapped the Pascack Valley. Democrats were poised to gain council seats in Hillsdale and Westwood and hold both seats on the ballot in Park Ridge. Republican incumbents led in Emerson and Woodcliff Lake, while council incumbents in Montvale and River Vale ran unopposed.
The biggest local shift was in Hillsdale, where two Democratic challengers were on track to give their party a 4–2 council majority. The closest contest was in Emerson, where Republican Mayor Danielle DiPaola led by 107 votes in her bid for a third term and just 38 votes separated the candidates for the second council seat.
The Bergen County Clerk’s Office reported that 316,728 of the county’s 678,327 registered voters cast ballots, or about 47%. The unofficial returns include early and Election Day votes and partial counts of mail-in and write-in votes. County election boards have until Nov. 9 to receive ballots mailed and postmarked by Election Day and until Nov. 14 to receive ballot cure forms. The county canvassing board is scheduled to meet Nov. 18.
Emerson
DiPaola led Democratic challenger Joseph Solimando III, 1,667 to 1,560. In the council race, Republican incumbent Michael Timmerman led the field with 1,687 votes. His running mate, Councilwoman Ashley Rice, drew 1,607, followed by Democratic challengers Venessa Manzano with 1,569 and Julia Guttilla with 1,527. | Battle for the gavel in ‘The Family Town’
Hillsdale
Just one vote separated Democratic running mates Gabriella Ianni and Dena Toms, who led the council field with 2,308 and 2,307 votes, respectively. Republican incumbent Clemente Osso drew 2,192 and Republican newcomer Danielle Ganter drew 2,115.
If the results hold, Ianni and Toms will join Democrats Melissa Mazza-Chiong and Christopher Camp on the six-member council. Republicans Robert Colletti Jr. and Anthony DeRosa hold the other two seats. | East-side cell service fix divides council hopefuls as election nears
Park Ridge
Democratic council incumbents Robert Metzdorf and Michael Mintz led with 2,148 and 2,080 votes. Republican challengers Marc Weinberg and Sebastian Hennessy received 1,683 and 1,677.
Voters also backed a measure to make the borough’s municipal open space levy permanent, with 2,852 in favor and 418 opposed. Voters first approved the levy in 2016 and renewed it in 2021. The mayor previously said the council would retain the authority to amend or end it.
The annual levy is seven-tenths of a cent per $100 of assessed property value. For a home assessed at $475,614, the average cited by borough officials, that comes to $33.29 a year. | Park Ridge council hopefuls debate costs, water and development
Westwood
Democratic incumbent Erin Collins led the council field with 2,655 votes. Her running mate, newcomer Kristian Rasmussen, drew 2,341, putting him 426 votes ahead of Republican incumbent Lauren Letizia, who received 1,915. Former Republican council member Beth Staples received 1,727.
Rasmussen previously ran for Westwood Council in 2024 alongside fellow Democrat Lisa Bontemps, when the pair fell short against Republican incumbents Cheryl Hodges and Anthony Greco. | Council hopefuls talk plaza’s future, ‘Hub’ priorities
Woodcliff Lake, Montvale and River Vale
In Woodcliff Lake, Republican council incumbents Joshua Stern and Julie Brodsky led with 1,447 and 1,439 votes. Democratic challengers Eric Bittman and Aleisia Gibson Wright drew 1,258 and 1,237.
Montvale’s Republican council incumbents ran unopposed. Douglas Arendacs received 1,893 votes and Theresa Cudequest received 1,877. | Cudequest opposes A.I. data center; race uncontested
River Vale’s mayor and two council incumbents also ran unopposed. Mayor Mark Bromberg received 2,530 votes. In the council race, Democrat Denise Sieg received 2,527 and Republican James Tolomeo received 2,206.
The Township of Washington had no mayoral or council seats on the ballot.
Contested school board races
Beth Kornblatt and Robert Stephen Oosting led for the two seats representing Hillsdale on the Pascack Valley Regional High School District Board of Education. Kornblatt drew 2,011 votes, Oosting 1,357 and Patrick Farley 1,249.
In Park Ridge, four candidates sought three local school board seats. Josephine Hunt led with 1,729 votes, followed by Rachelle Browne with 1,544, Shanai Jensen with 1,364 and Amara Wagner with 1,279. In a separate contest for a one-year unexpired term, Wagner led with 29 votes.
Follow the count
Results by town. The Bergen County Clerk posts unofficial returns for municipal and school board races and local ballot questions. Totals can change as more ballots are counted. Bergen County election results
Ballots left to count. The county posts a daily tally of ballots still to be counted and expects to certify results Nov. 18. Daily ballot count report
Mail-in ballots. Ballots postmarked by 8 p.m. Nov. 3 must reach the Bergen County Board of Elections by 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9. Voters who receive a notice about a signature issue have until Nov. 14 to return their cure form. New Jersey vote-by-mail information · 2026 election calendar
Election questions? For results, call the County Clerk’s Elections Division at 201-336-7020. For mail-in ballot or signature questions, call the Bergen County Board of Elections at 201-336-6225.
From our election desk. Pascack Press is following the local races, the stories behind the results and residents’ views on what comes next. What should we be following in your town? We welcome story tips and letters to the editor.