Election Day In Little Silver: Who's Running, How To Vote

LITTLE SILVER, NJ — Tuesday, Nov. 2 is Election Day in New Jersey. There are races for governor — Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli seeks to prevent Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy from a second term — and also statehouse races for the New Jersey state Legislature.

Monmouth County state Senator Declan O'Scanlon will face a re-election for the Legislative District 13 seat, along with Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger of Middletown and Vicky Flynn of Holmdel, all Republicans.

They will be challenged by Democrats Vincent Solomeno of Hazlet, Erin Howard of Fair Haven and Allison Friedman of Aberdeen.

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New Jersey's 13th District includes the towns of Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Sea Bright, Rumson and Union Beach.

It is a historically Republican area and O'Scanlon, a moderate Republican, has represented LD 13 since 2008; he was first in the Assembly. He lives in Little Silver.

His running mate Scharfenberger is viewed as a more conservative Republican and a strong Trump supporter. O'Scanlon has rarely publicly praised Trump.

Flynn, currently the Holmdel school board president, is a political newcomer who was selected by the local Republican Party to run after a very public fight broke out this winter between GOP Party boss Shaun Golden and current LD 13 Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso.

Solomeno is a U.S. Army veteran and still serves in the Army National Guard; he currently works for the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Friedman is in her third term on the Matawan-Aberdeen BOE; she has run previously for local seats as a Democrat and lost. Howard owns a small business (a maternity clothing line) and this is her first time seeking public office.

While 1991 was the last time a Democrat represented this part of Monmouth County in Trenton, Solomeno said he is confident that 2021 will be the year.

Here is where the candidates stand on major issues: https://patch.com/new-jersey/m...

There are a range of topics on which Republicans and Democrats generally disagree on in New Jersey this year, including: The lockdowns and school closures of 2020, vaccine mandates, Gov. Murphy's requirement that children as young as two wear a mask and mask mandates in general. Property taxes, corporate taxes, immigration, drivers' licenses for illegal immigrants, voter ID and voter fraud and even abortion/reproductive rights are all hot topics this election season.

The chance to machine vote early ended Oct. 31, so unless you voted by mail, voters should vote at their regular polling place Tuesday. Find your polling place here: https://nj.gov/state/elections...

Or vote by mail. You must drop it in the drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday night.

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