ELECTION 2015: Bartlett, Little Receive GOP Freeholder Nod Again

by Karen Wall

Incumbents John C. Bartlett Jr. and Gerry P. Little have received the Republican nominations again for the two seats up for grabs in the Ocean County Board of Freeholders race in November.

The freeholder race was one of a handful of contested primaries in Ocean County on Tuesday. The 9th District featured four candidates for the GOP nominations to two seats, and the Lacey Township Committee race had five candidates seeking two Republican nominations. In Stafford Township, there were three Republicans seeking the mayoral nomination from their party, and 14 candidates seeking six nominations in the race for the Township Council.

Bartlett, who is completing his 36th year on the Board of Freeholders, is seeking his 13th term, while Little, who began serving on the board in December 2003 after the death of James J. Mancini, is seeking his fourth full term.

According to the unofficial tallies on the county website, Bartlett received 9,773 votes, 39 percent of the 24,856 cast in the GOP freeholder primary. Little received 9,256. Challenger Victoria McErlean received 3,004 votes, while challenger Josh Prizer received 2,807. There were 16 write-in ballots cast.

There are 106,091 registered Republicans in Ocean County.

Bartlett and Little will face Democrats Patricia Barndt and Christopher Leitner, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Barndt received 4,349 of the 8,484 votes cast in the Democratic freeholder primary, and Leitner received 4,104. There were 31 write-in votes.

There are 71,518 registered Democrats in Ocean County.