Space, Fantasia, Inganamort win seats
SUSSEX COUNTY. Nov. 7 election results remain unofficial until all mail-in, absentee and provisional ballots are counted.
| 13 Nov 2023 | 09:14
Republican candidates wait for election results Tuesday night, Nov. 7 at the Irish Cottage Inn in Franklin. From left are Mike Inganamort, state Assembly candidate; Jack DeGroot, Sussex County commissioner candidate; Parker Space, state Senate candidate; Dawn Fantasia, Assembly candidate; and county Surrogate Gary Chiusano. (Photo by Kathy Shwiff)
Assemblyman Parker Space was elected to the state Senate and Sussex County Commissioner Dawn Fantasia and Chester Township Mayor Mike Inganamort will be the new Assembly members for Legislative District 24, according to unofficial results of the Nov. 7 election.
Mail-in and absentee ballots are accepted up to six days after Election Day, and provisional ballots are counted after the deadline for receiving mail-in/absentee ballots.
Space, Fantasia and Inganamort are Republicans.
Democrats Edmund Khanoo and Baramdai “Alicia” Sharma ran for the Senate and Assembly, respectively. Veronica Fernandez was an Independent candidate for the Assembly.
The three seats were open because state Sen. Steven Oroho and Assemblyman Hal Wirths, both Republicans, are retiring, and Space ran for the Senate seat.
Space, Fantasia and Inganamort thanked voters in an email message Monday, Nov. 13, saying, “We are honored that you have chosen us to be your elected representatives to the New Jersey Legislature.
“With the campaigning over and when we are sworn in on January 9th, we look forward to working to address such critical issues as the high cost of property taxes, a fairer school funding formula, and opposing policies that are harmful to the well-being of families in our region.
“We look forward to building on the successes of our predecessors, Senator Steve Oroho and Assemblyman Hal Wirths, for the benefit of our district and our state.”
They promised to continue to provide first-class constituent service through the district office. “We will do all we can to represent your interests in Trenton.”
District 24 includes all of Sussex County as well as Mount Olive, Roxbury, Chester Borough, Chester Township, Washington Township and Netcong in Morris County and Allamuchy and Independence in Warren County.
Republican Jack DeGroot won a Sussex County commissioner seat, according to the unofficial results. He was opposed by Damaris Lira, a Democrat.
DeGroot, a young farmer from Wantage, defeated incumbent Herbert Yardley in the GOP primary in June.
County Surrogate Gary Chiusano was unopposed in his bid for re-election.
About 30 percent of the 109,030 registered voters in Sussex County cast ballots in the election, according to the results as of Thursday, Nov. 9.
The number voting on Election Day was 25,897, while 5,208 voted by mail and 1,697 cast ballots during early voting at three locations from Oct. 28 through Nov. 5.
Here are the vote totals as of Thursday, Nov. 9:
District 24: State Senate (vote for 1)
Parker Space (R): 33,248
Sussex County: 21,687
Morris County: 10,269
Warren County: 1,292
Edmund Khanoo (D): 18,070
Sussex County :10,362
Morris County: 6,878
Warren County: 830
District 24: General Assembly (vote for 2)
Dawn Fantasia (R): 31,639
Sussex County: 20,227
Morris County: 10,155
Warren County: 1,257
Michael Inganamort (R): 30,825
Sussex County: 19,068
Morris County: 10,501
Warren County: 1,256
Baramdai “Alicia” Sharma (D): 17,970
Sussex County: 10,391
Morris County: 6,758
Warren County: 821
Veronica Fernandez (I): 7,015
Sussex County: 5,135
Morris County: 1,590
Warren County: 290
Sussex County Commissioner (vote for 1)
Jack DeGroot (R): 21,713
Damaris Lira (D): 10,028
VOTER TURNOUT
About 30 percent of the 109,030 registered voters in Sussex County cast ballots in the election, according to the results as of Thursday, Nov. 9.
Election Day votes: 25,897
Vote by mail: 5,208
Early voting: 1,697