PASCACK VALLEY—For 2022’s General Election on Nov. 8, the Borough of Emerson again topped all eight Pascack Valley towns in percentage of total voter turnout, with 56.27% of eligible voters casting ballots.
That’s greater than The Family Town’s showing for the 2021 gubernatorial election, which was 52.39% — and the second-highest in Bergen County, behind Harrington Park.
Throughout the Pascack Valley’s eight communities, voter turnout in this election, Nov. 8, ranged 48% to greater than 56% of registered voters casting ballots, with Emerson voters again tops in local election turnout.
Countywide this year, 44.3% of registered voters cast ballots via early voting, vote-by-mail, and Election Day turnout, with 295,800 ballots cast out of 668,203 registered voters.
Based on unofficial Pascack Press figures using county clerk Statement of Vote municipal totals, every Pascack Valley town handily beat the countywide voter turnout percentages.
Due to a lack of local elections in Washington Township, those township numbers were estimated using totals from Bergen County Commissioner races.
Emerson again topped Pascack Valley towns with a 56.27% turnout, including 177 early voting ballots and 433 mail-in ballots. On Election Day, 2,575 of 5,749 registered voters cast ballots.
Last year, following Emerson’s top voter turnout in the General Election, Republican Mayor Danielle DiPaola said though the borough “could do better” in turnout, she was “proud that the democratic process in Emerson works.”
She told Pascack Press on Nov. 30, “I think our result of high voter engagement can be credited to many things in Emerson. I believe our residents are extremely engaged in our community, always keeping their finger on the pulse of borough business and events via our constant communication including social media, website and Swiftreach blasts.”
She added, “We livestream our borough mayor a council meetings on YouTube as well as air them on our public access channels, which began during my first term, replacing them only when a new meeting has occurred.”
This year’s Emerson election featured a high-profile contest between DiPaola and Democratic challenger Jeanine Lamatina, wife of immediate past mayor Louis Lamatina, whom DiPaola defeated in 2018 running on a platform against overdevelopment. The 147-unit Emerson Station redevelopment project was approved in late 2018.
(See “DiPaola wins re-election; Republicans surprise in Park Ridge,” Pascack Press, Nov. 9, 2022.)
Countywide, Emerson ranked second in percentage of voter turnout, with Glen Rock besting the 70 towns with a 57.93% voter turnout. In Glen Rock, 5558 of 9595 registered voters voted.
Close behind Emerson was Woodcliff Lake, with a 55.1% voter turnout, with 2775 of 5036 voters casting ballots on Election Day. Woodcliff Lake counted 443 early voters and 513 mail-in ballots.
Park Ridge placed third in voter turnout, with 54.08% participation, including 3121 of 7349 registered voters on Election Day. Early voters totaled 248 and mail-in ballots totaled 541.
Westwood was not far behind at 53.58% voter turnout, which included 279 early voters and 661 mail-in voters. On Election Day, 3546 of 8500 registered voters cast ballots.
Ranking fifth in voter turnout was River Vale at 52.22%, including 832 early voters and 655 mail-in voters.
River Vale easily topped the Pascack Valley towns in early voting totals, possibly aided by the local early voting polling station at the senior center. River Vale’s early voting total was nearly double Woodcliff Lake’s early voting total, where another early voting site was located.
In 2021, River Vale also topped all early voting totals, with 849 early voters. (See “Ciattarelli topped Murphy in our towns,” Nov. 29, 2021, Pascack Press online.)
All told, the county offered nine early voting locations — similar to 2021 — where residents of any municipality could vote early over a nine-day period from Oct. 29 through Nov. 6. Mail-in ballots could be received up until 8 p.m., Nov. 8 at any secure drop box as well as via the U.S. Postal Service.
Moreover, mail-in voters could drop off their ballots at 32 secure drop boxes, including Emerson, Hillsdale, River Vale, Township of Washington, and Westwood. This was the second year of early in-person voting, approved under a law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in early 2021.
Appearing to place sixth in voter turnout was Township of Washington, with a 51.4% voter turnout. Election Day and mail-in votes totaled 3693 of 7706 registered voters, plus 268 early voters.
Finishing up the Pascack Valley list were Hillsdale (50.38% turnout) and Montvale (48.25% turnout), and both towns still outpaced the countywide 44.3% participation rate.
Hillsdale totaled 287 early voters and 733 mail-in ballots, while 3248 of 8621 registered voters cast ballots on Election Day.
Montvale had 348 early voters and 554 mail-in voters, while 3301 of 6841 registered voters cast ballots on Election Day.
Related: “Election 21: Emerson led in area voter turnout, at 52.29%,” Pascack Press, Dec. 3, 2021.)