Voter Turnout Below 30 Percent in Both Verona, Cedar Grove

The number of voters who turned out for Tuesday’s Verona and Cedar Grove 2013 municipal elections held steady from previous year’s numbers, with less than 30 percent of registered voters heading to the polls, according to figures released from the Essex County clerk’s office.

In Cedar Grove, 2,435 of the 8,965 township’s registered voters, or 27.1 percent, cast their ballot on Tuesday. In Verona, 2,207 of the 10,394 registered voters, or 21.2 percent, turned out to the polls.

Overall in Essex County, which included municipal elections in South Orange for members of the village’s board of trustees, 16.9 percent of registered voters actually voted on May 14.

According to the Essex County Clerk website, only 16.5 percent of registered voters in Essex County cast their ballots in the 2009 municipal elections while 14.5 percent of voters turned out for the municipal elections in 2011.

Municipal elections do tend to have a low turnout, confirmed Cedar Grove Assistant Clerk Martina Meding.

However, each town does have its group of loyal voters, which was evident in the local election.

“We vote in every election, municipal and board of education,” said 36-year Verona residents Marc and Ellen Kaplan. “We are interested in education, how our taxes are spent and green areas.”

“If the dog catcher is running in Verona, I'm voting,” he joked.

In Cedar Grove, Bob and Gerri Moro have voted in every municipal election since moving to town 35 years ago, they said.

“I voted for the incumbents, they have done an outstanding job,” said Bob on his way out of the polling station. “I also voted yes on the public question because there's no open space left and I would like to see it offset taxes.”

The election even brought out some new voters as well, like Lenny Vega an eight-year resident of Cedar Grove.

Vega says he doesn't always vote in municipal elections but felt that this one was particularly important, he said on his way to the polls.

“I think the children and the development of the community are important,” he said.