Although most Pascack Valley towns favored Republican Jack Ciattarelli for governor, statewide voters elected Democrat Mikie Sherrill as New Jersey’s 57th governor, giving her 56.2% of the statewide vote to Ciattarelli’s 43.2%.
Her win marks the first time since the early 1960s that one party has held the governorship for three consecutive terms. Sherrill succeeds two-term Gov. Phil Murphy, whose term expires Dec. 31.
As of Nov. 5, Bergen County’s unofficial results showed Sherrill with 185,120 votes (54.9%) and Ciattarelli with 150,183 (44.6%). Statewide, an Associated Press tally with 95% of votes counted had Sherrill at 1,792,760 and Ciattarelli at 1,378,391.
Valley towns mass for Ciattarelli
Six of the eight Pascack Valley communities backed Ciattarelli, while Hillsdale and Westwood went for Sherrill. In Westwood, Sherrill received 2,746 votes to Ciattarelli’s 2,163. In Hillsdale, Sherrill tallied 2,575 votes to Ciattarelli’s 2,404.
We reached out to local leaders for insights on the regional results.
Hillsdale Mayor Michael Sheinfield, one of two democrats on the governing body, said, “No one expected Mikie Sherrill to win by over 13 points. Democratic enthusiasm was stronger than anticipated in Hillsdale, the Pascack Valley, and across the county. In some towns, that translated to a Mikie win, while in others it narrowed the gap.”
He added, “National politics likely played a role. The surge in turnout helped push Sherrill over the top. Jack Ciattarelli’s alignment with an unpopular president among Democrats and many independents didn’t help him, and when Democrats in New Jersey turn out like they did this cycle, they win.”
Emerson Mayor Danielle DiPaola, a Republican, told Pascack Press, “Emerson is a conservative town based on family values and conservative values. I’m disappointed. I wish her luck, because if she fails, New Jersey fails.”
She added, “If we don’t collectively hope for her to succeed, we are all doomed in this. A clear choice was made and I think it was the wrong choice. Our Mayor and Council are going to keep on working for the betterment of Emerson—to make it a safe and affordable home for 7,200 people in the Pascack Valley.”
Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo, also a Republican and former 2017 lieutenant governor candidate, said Ciattarelli performed well locally because “he opposed overdevelopment tied to New Jersey’s affordable housing mandate.” But he said Sherrill’s campaign linking Ciattarelli to former President Donald Trump—and “an ongoing federal government shutdown and immigration raids”—likely hurt him statewide.
Limited coattails for Sherrill
While Sherrill carried Hillsdale and Westwood, her victory offered limited down-ballot lift.
In Hillsdale, former Republican councilman Anthony DeRosa narrowly led the four-way race for two open seats with 2,405 votes, followed by Democrat Christopher Camp, who won the second seat with 2,392 votes.
In Westwood, both Democratic council candidates—Kyle Lagatol and Kathryn Mundhenk—were edged out by Republican incumbents Beth Anne Dell and Robert Bicocchi, despite Sherrill’s strong showing.
Turnout steady across Pascack Valley
Unofficial turnout ranged from a low of 53% in Montvale to a high of 61.16% in Park Ridge, which narrowly surpassed Emerson’s 61%.
Election officials noted that late-arriving mail-in ballots postmarked by Nov. 4 and provisional votes could still affect final totals. County results are expected to be certified by Nov. 19, 15 days after Election Day. Here are the stats as we have them unofficially:
| Town | Ciattarelli | Sherrill |
|---|---|---|
| Emerson | 1,821 | 1,608 |
| Montvale | 2,032 | 1,845 |
| Park Ridge | 2,323 | 2,109 |
| River Vale | 2,658 | 2,480 |
| Township of Washington | 2,684 | 2,029 |
| Woodcliff Lake | 1,534 | 1,423 |
| Westwood | 2,163 | 2,746 |
| Hillsdale | 2,404 | 2,575 |