Republicans flipped an Atlantic City council seat and captured the Absecon mayoralty for the first time since 1988.
In Atlantic City Ward 5, Maria Lacca won a landslide victory over Democrat Mohammed M. Huq in a court-ordered special election after the winner of the 2023 race was removed from office.
Muhammed “Anjum” Zia defeated Lacca by 45 votes last year, but Atlantic County Assignment Judge Michael Blee removed him from office in August after finding that he lived with his family in Egg Harbor Township.
Lacca defeated Huq by 293 votes, 60%-39%. She will become the second Republican on the city council, along with Jesse O. Kurtz.
Republican Thomas Marrone ousted Absecon Mayor Kimberly Horton by 616 votes, 56%-44%. Marrone was elected to the council in 2022. Horton has been mayor since 2019 and previously served six years as a councilwoman.
Sandra Cain, the lone Democrat on the Absecon council, also lost her re-election bid. Republican Linda Evans won, 55%-45%.
The race for three council seats in Hammonton is too close to call. Republican Renee Rodio (3,511), and independents Sam Rodio (3,284) and Steve Furgione (3,138) lead Republican Joseph Caruso (3,117), independent Jimmy Matro (2,867) and Republican Rick Sepe (2,808). Rodio, Rodio and Furgione are the incumbents.
Democrat Lisa Jiampetti was re-elected mayor of Egg Harbor City with 59% of the vote against Republican Ingrid Nieves-Clark.
In Northfield, Republican incumbents Brian Smith and Carolyn Bucci were re-elected.
Ellen Testa, the mother of State Sen. Michael Testa, Jr. (R-Vineland), was re-elected to the Buena Vista Township Committee. Republicans won both Hamilton Township Committee seats and three seats in Somers Point.
