Vicari Re-Elected To 13th Term On Ocean County Freeholder Board

TOMS RIVER, NJ - Longtime Ocean County Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari was re-elected to his 13th term on the freeholder board on Tuesday, according to the Ocean County Clerk's Office.

But his margin of victory was not as large as in past years, perhaps because of the $550,000 the county recently paid to settle a sexual harassment suit a former county employee filed against him and a contractor.

Vicari received 84,762 votes, or 58 percent. His Democratic challenger, former Lacey Township Committeewoman Helen Dela Cruz received 58,544 votes, or 40 percent. Independent candidate Barry Bendar received 2,756 votes, or 1.9 percent.

Of Ocean County's 400,098 registered voters, only 159,880, or 39.96 percent cast ballots either in person or by mail, according to the Ocean County Clerk's Office.

Photo: Patch file photo.