Rodrick Slate Sweeps In Toms River: Unofficial Results

Updated, 10:30 p.m.

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Republican Dan Rodrick, who has been at odds with his own party and the Democrats for the last four years, defeated Democrat Ben Giovine to capture the Toms River mayor's race, according to unofficial results.

Rodrick and his council slate — Lynn O'Toole, Tom Nivison, and Craig Coleman — received more than double the votes cast for the Democratic slate, according to unofficial vote tallies published Tuesday by the Ocean County Clerk's office.

Rodrick received 13,071 votes to 5,715 votes for Giovine, who replaced John Furey as the Democratic candidate in August.

Capturing the mayoral seat has been Rodrick's goal since 2019, when he finished third in the Republican primary behind Maurice "Mo" Hill and former Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato. Rodrick defeated Hill and challenger Geri Ambrosio in the June 2023 primary.

Rodrick has campaigned persistently since 2017 on stopping overdevelopment in Toms River, and in this year's campaign focused on a downtown apartment complex. The complex originally was approved as two 10-story towers, but revised recently to six-story towers instead.

After he defeated Hill and Ambrosio in June, Rodrick issued a warning from the council dais at the next meeting that any Republican who opposed him in the mayoral campaign would face consequences.

Giovine became the Democratic mayoral candidate after Furey dropped out of the race, and had some public support from some Republicans but not enough to provide a real boost.

The Democrats' Township Council slate had been criticized over the inclusion of candidates who were mostly unknown. Only Michele Williams, who has served on the school board, has previous experience.

Here are the unofficial vote totals for the candidates. They will be updated as the totals become available. The results of the election do not become official until they are certified by the Ocean County Clerk.

With 63 of 63 districts reporting

The mayoral candidates:

• Dan Rodrick 13,071
• Ben Giovine 5,715

The council candidates:

• Tom Nivison 12,797
• Lynn O'Toole 12,850
• Craig Coleman 12,671
• Michele Williams 5,448
• Rhetta Jackson-Fair 4,967
• Ruby Franco 5,172
• Write-ins 510

Vote totals for Dana Tormollan and Paul Williams, who were running write-in campaigns, will not be available until after Nov. 22, when the election results are certified.

Toms River Regional Board of Education

There were three, three-year seats up for election on the Toms River Regional school board. Ashley Lamb, the lone incumbent, was the top vote-getter among the five candidates. Paola Pascarella was second with 8,252 and James Capone was third with 7,915, according to the unofficial tallies.

The other two seats up for election are being vacated by Lisa Contessa, who did not seek re-election, and Michele Williams, who was seeking a council seat.

The candidates:

• Ashley Lamb 8,808
• Diane Oxley 7,317
• Paola Pascarella 8,252
• James Capone 7,915
• LeRoy Marshall 6,258