Voting in Delaware Township, New Jersey, reflected the heavy turnout across the nation. 81% of the Township’s 3,597 registered voters cast ballots. Party affiliation in the Township among registered voters is 1,527 Republican, 836 Democratic, 1 Green, 1 Libertarian, and 1,232 unaffiliated.
In an historic election that brought the first African American to the White House and gave the Democratic Party wider majorities in US Congress, Delaware Township voted for McCain over Obama in the Presidential race; for Dick Zimmer over Frank Lautenberg for US Senate; for Alan Bateman over Rush Holt in the 12th District of the US House of Representatives; and for Eric Peterson over Delaware Township resident Marty Siecke for Hunterdon County Freeholder. With the exception of County Freeholder, this straight Republican lineup lost the election, despite winning in Delaware Township.
Turnout is always higher here in a Presidential election year. Voting for Delaware Township Committee resisted the local trend to vote a straight Republican ticket, and returned the Democratic incumbents to office. The Republican Party was able to field only one candidate for the two available seats.
On the State and County ballot questions, Delaware voted with the majorities. Township voters approved State Question 1, rejected State Question 2, and approved County Question 1 extending the property tax for open space preservation and development indefinitely.