Challenger Wins Spot On Freehold Twp. School Board; Other Race Close

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ — With 96 percent of districts reporting, unofficial vote totals indicate two incumbents may be returned to their seats on the Freehold Township Board of Education.

Seven candidates were seeking three full-term seats on the board.

Incumbents Michelle Lambert, Meg Thomann and Michael Amoroso were being challenged by the team of Zane Howcott, Carmela Spieler and Denise DuMont (all designated Protecting Parental Rights).

Peter Conforti was also running for a spot on the board, and is not affiliated with either team.

In unofficial results, Spieler was the high vote-getter with 3,635 votes.

Incumbents Amoroso had 3,630 votes and Lambert 3,359.

But Lambert was closely followed Howcott who had 3,324.

All votes are unofficial because mail-in and provisional ballots have yet to be counted.

Lambert is the current board president and has served on the board for the past 13 years. She and current board members Thomann and Amoroso (the board vice president) were designated the Respectful Educational Leadership team.

Here are the vote totals with 96 percent of districts reporting Tuesday night:

Candidates for Freehold Township Board of Education: (Full term; vote for three)

• Zane Howcott: Protecting Parental Rights - 3,324
• Carmela Spieler: Protecting Parental Rights - 3,635
• Michael Amoroso: Respectful Educational Leadership - 3,630
• Peter Conforti - 1,242
• Mary "Meg" Thomann: Respectful Educational Leadership - 3,100
• Michelle Lambert: Respectful Educational Leadership - 3,359
• Denise DuMont: Protecting Parental Rights - 3,085

In a separate vote, the election to the Freehold Regional High School Board of Education representing Freehold Township is not contested:

Candidate for Freehold Regional High School District: (Full term; vote for one)

• Elizabeth A. Higley - 6,817