Manchester 2022 Run-Off Election: Who's On The Ballot, Where To Vote

MANCHESTER, NJ — It's deja vu all over again: Voters are going to the polls in Manchester Tuesday to again choose between Robert Hudak and Robert Arace for mayor.

The special run-off election, which is happening because neither Hudak nor Arace received more than 50 percent of the votes cast in the Nov. 8 election, is the third meeting between the two candidates over the mayor's seat in Manchester.

The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, at the same polling locations as the Nov. 8 election. Vote-by-mail ballots were sent to those who voted by mail in the general election.

Completed vote-by-mail ballots can be hand-delivered to the Ocean County Board of Elections, 129 Hooper Ave. or dropped off in one of four vote-by-mail drop boxes. They must be dropped off by 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Here are the drop boxes available for the run-off election, They are accessible 24 hours a day, and all of them are subject to video surveillance and other security measures:

• Manchester Library - 21 Colonial Drive, Manchester
• Ocean County Parking Garage - 3rd Floor, Madison Avenue, Toms River
• Ocean County Courthouse - 118 Washington Street, Toms River
• Whiting Reading Center/Library - 400 Lacey Road, Suite 5, Whiting.

Those who plan to vote in person can confirm their polling location; the Manchester Township clerk's office said there are no changes to in-person polling sites from the general election.

The sample ballot for the run-off and additional information is on the Ocean County Clerk's election webpage.

In case you missed them, Patch sent questionnaires to the mayoral candidates. Here are their responses:

• Manchester Mayoral Election 2022: Robert Hudak
• Manchester Mayoral Election 2022: Robert Arace

The council candidates are:

Joan Brush, who is an incumbent councilwoman, and Timothy Poss. Brush and Poss are running on the ticket with Hudak. Incumbent Councilman Craig Wallis is not seeking re-election.

Running with Arace are Joseph T. Hankins and Roxanne Conniff. Hankins ran for council in 2021 but was defeated; Conniff was Arace's campaign manager in 2021.

Hudak defeated Arace in the 2021 election for the final year of the term vacated by now-Judge Ken Palmer. Hudak was elected to the council in 2019.

Arace has the backing of George Gilmore, who has regained the chairmanship of the Ocean County Republican Club after being forced to step down in 2019. Gilmore was convicted on federal charges of failing to pay over payroll taxes and fraud on a bank loan application; a pardon issued by then-President Donald Trump meant that Gilmore avoided jail time, but the conviction remains.

Development has been the dominant issue in the campaign, including allegations by Arace that Hudak was courting a developer to bring 4,000 homes to the Heritage Minerals site. That issue was discussed at the Nov. 14 Manchester Township Council meeting, with Hudak reiterating the terms of the 2004 settlement.

Arace accused Hudak and business administrator Brandon Umba of a lack of transparency over an informal meeting with a developer about the site. Umba said the developer was told 4,000 homes would be rejected, as the settlement is for 2,450 units, with age-restricted and low-income units as part of that figure.

"If a plan is not going to be approved, if it's not being properly introduced to the town, I can't go and then out the developer who came to the town and said 'I want to discuss something with you.' You're then putting the township into the potential of being sued," Umba said.

Read more here: $100K Pricetag Possible For Run-Off Election In Manchester

Campaign flyers, including one designed to look like a newspaper, that were distributed in the last week on behalf of the Arace campaign continued to press the claim that Hudak was courting a developer. Hudak responded with a video on Facebook, reiterating that he does not support any effort to surpass the 2,450 homes approved in the 2004 settlement.

Final reminders:

• Where can I drop off my ballot?
• Track my mail-in ballot.
• Where can I vote in person?

Have a comment, a question or a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com