A recount of the June Democratic primary results for the New Jersey General Assembly in the 39th Legislative District confirmed that Andrew LaBruno and Donna Abene will remain the Democratic nominees for the November 4 general election. The recount began on August 4 at the request of David Jiang, who had finished third in the initial count with 8,317 votes, trailing Abene by 137 votes.
Following the recount, which involved hand-counting ballots, Jiang gained 12 votes for a total of 8,329, while Abene gained six votes, bringing her total to 8,460 and leaving her ahead by 131 votes. LaBruno, the top vote-getter, increased his total from 9,137 to 9,143, and Damon Englese, who finished fourth, saw his total rise from 6,137 to 6,149. Only the first- and second-place finishers will appear on the November ballot, where they will face Republican incumbents Robert Auth and John Azzariti Jr.
- David Jiang gained 12 votes but stayed 131 votes behind Donna Abene after the recount.
- The recount cost about $20,000, with Jiang paying roughly $2,500.
- This was the first district-wide recount in the 39th District in at least 14 years.
Recount Process and Results
Bergen County Board of Elections Chairman Richard Miller stated that the changes in vote totals came from vote-by-mail ballots, which are scanned by machines. Ballots that were not filled in firmly enough might not have been detected by scanners, but hand-counting during the recount allowed election workers to determine voter intent.
The recount took place over three days and included more than 8,000 vote-by-mail ballots and provisional ballots from all 28 towns in the district. Two teams of election workers performed the count, and a designated commissioner cross-checked the names and ballots. Vote tallies changed by at least one vote in 13 municipalities, while 16 municipalities saw no change. According to Miller, this was the first district-wide recount in at least 14 years. The new totals were scheduled to be certified on August 7.
Legal Proceedings and Costs
Superior Court Judge Kelly Conlon initially denied a full recount during a court hearing but later signed an order for all votes to be recounted. After a partial recount on Tuesday, Jiang had picked up 14 votes; the final count after the complete recount reflected a gain of 12.
The Board of Elections covered about $20,000 of the recount cost. A candidate who requests a recount must pay a percentage of the total, and Jiang’s share was approximately $2,500. Miller said the raw vote gap was large, but the margin represented only 0.43% of the total vote.
Candidate Affiliations and District Background
LaBruno and Jiang ran on a slate with Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop during his campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor, while Abene and Englese ran with the endorsement of the Bergen County Democratic organization. In the June primary, Mikie Sherrill won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, and Jack Ciattarelli won the Republican nomination.
The 39th Legislative District is composed of the Bergen County municipalities of Allendale, Alpine, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, Emerson, Harrington Park, Haworth, Hillsdale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Mahwah, Midland Park, Montvale, Northvale, Norwood, Oakland, Old Tappan, Park Ridge, Ramsey, River Vale, Rockleigh, Saddle River, Upper Saddle River, Waldwick, Washington Township, Westwood, and Woodcliff Lake. Democrats have not won the district since 1977.
