Manalapan voters tap Klauber for committee
Pezzullo says she would like to make another run for office
BY KATHY BARATTA
Staff Writer

Richard Klauber

MANALAPAN - Although she lost her bid for election this year to Democrat Richard Klauber, Republican Township Committee candidate Nikole Pezzullo suggested that residents should look for her in 2007.

In a race for a three-year term on the municipal governing body, Klauber defeated Pezzullo 5,147 votes to 4,387 votes on Election Day, Nov. 7.

Democrat Drew Shapiro, who is serving as Manalapan's mayor this year, did not seek re-election. In January, Klauber will join Democrat Michelle Roth, Republicans Joseph Locricchio and Andrew Lucas, and independent Committeeman Anthony Gennaro on the governing body.

In keeping with tradition, Klauber did well in the voting districts that make up the Covered Bridge adult community, which has regularly thrown its support to local Democratic candidates. In the four Covered Bridge districts, Klauber outpolled Pezzullo 769 to 328.

Pezzullo made up some ground in her voting district, outpolling Klauber 301 to 168.

Of Manalapan's 24 voting districts, Klauber captured a majority of votes in 16 districts and Pezzullo captured a majority of votes in eight districts. Klauber received 207 votes on absentee ballots and Pezzullo received 150 votes on absentee ballots.

Neither candidate had any prior elected or appointed municipal board or committee experience before seeking office.

Klauber, an attorney, campaigned on the belief that while reducing further residential growth is a good way to work toward stabilizing property taxes, he believes elected officials should be looking for creative ways to effect tax relief, such as sitting down with school board officials to discuss initiatives like the introduction of solar energy into school renovation and construction projects as a possible way to offset rising energy costs.

Klauber said he is looking forward to working to justify the trust voters have placed in him.

"I want to thank Manalapan's voters for coming out to support me. It is an honor and a privilege to serve the community and one I am looking forward to," he said. "I tried to run a positive campaign and the voters appear to have responded to that."

Klauber said that since he was elected to serve all of the people of Manalapan, he is looking forward to serving the public with all the members of the governing body.

Pezzullo, an attorney, said that while she may have lost the first round, not only is she not going away, she asked residents to look for her next year. She said she attributes some of the reason why she lost to a national trend that proved to be against Republicans whether they were incumbents or first-time office seekers.

"Of course I'm disappointed I lost, but I absolutely hope for another run next year," Pezzullo said.

In 2007, the committee seats now held by Locricchio and Lucas will be up for election.

Pezzullo said she plans to continue to attend committee meetings and to get involved in various township programs.

According to the township clerk's office, Dennis Bruzzi, who mounted a write-in campaign for a seat on the committee, received 69 write-in votes.

At the top of the ticket in Manalapan, Democrats carried the municipality.

In the race for a U.S. Senate seat, Democrat Robert Menendez outpolled Republican Tom Kean Jr., 4,942 to 4,721.

Manalapan is divided among two Congressional districts. In the 6th District race for a seat in Congress, Democrat Frank Pallone outpolled Republican Leigh-Ann Bellew, 2,343 to 1,387. In the 12th District race for a seat in Congress, Democrat Rush Holt outpolled Republican Joseph Sinagra, 3,454 to 2,365.

On the county level, Democrat Barbara McMorrow outpolled Republican Andrew Lucas, the Manalapan committeeman, 5,066 to 4,336, in the race for a three-year term on the Board of Freeholders. Democrat Greg Gibadlo outpolled Republican Anna Little, 5,003 to 4,301, in the race for a one-year term on the Board of Freeholders.

When results from the entire county had been counted, McMorrow and Little won the freeholder seats.