MENDHAM BOROUGH, NJ — Every vote counted in Mendham Borough on Election Day, where a razor-thin margin separated the candidates vying for two seats on the Borough Council.
Republicans appear to have narrowly retained both seats following Tuesday's election, but the race for the second seat came down to just 38 votes, according to unofficial results from the Morris County Clerk's Office.
Republican Joseph Murphy led the four-candidate field with 1,233 votes, followed by incumbent Republican Councilwoman Marilyn Althoff with 1,205 votes.
But the Democratic challengers were close behind.
Dan Schreibman finished with 1,167 votes, just 38 votes shy of unseating Althoff, while fellow Democrat Mark Van Den Hende received 1,165 votes, just two votes behind Schreibman.
The difference between Althoff and Schreibman amounted to less than one percentage point of the total votes cast for council candidates, underscoring just how competitive the race was.
Even the gap between the top vote-getter, Murphy, and the fourth-place finisher, Van Den Hende, was just 68 votes.
See the unofficial results below:
| Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|
| Joseph Murphy (R) | 1,233 |
| Marilyn Althoff (R) | 1,205 |
| Dan Schreibman (D) | 1,167 |
| Mark Van Den Hende (D) | 1,165 |
The results put Murphy and Althoff in position to claim the two available seats, keeping both in Republican hands. Murphy would succeed outgoing Republican Councilman Will Russo, while Althoff would secure another term.
However, with such a narrow margin separating the candidates, the results remain unofficial until certified by the county clerk.
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