Wayne Republicans Cruise To Victory In General Election

WAYNE, NJ — Once again, Republican incumbent Christopher Vergano has been elected to become Wayne’s mayor, securing his fifth consecutive term, unofficial results show.

Joining Vergano in victory are his three Republican running mates, two of whom are newcomers.

Vergano took a strong lead in securing his fifth consecutive term as Mayor.

Don Pavlak is the President of the Wayne Board of Education, and was looking to be the first Democratic mayor elected in Wayne since 1997.

Independent challenger Catherine Kazan, a former Wayne Board of Education President, also unsuccessfully threw her hat in the ring for mayor.

See the unofficial results below, provided by the Passaic County Clerk's Office (*denotes incumbent):

• *Vergano, Republican — 12,406 votes (57.13%)
• Pavlak, Democrat — 8,143 votes (37.5%)
• Kazan, Independent — 1,145 votes (5.27%)

Republican Council Candidates Jason Destefano, Donald DeDio Jr., and Frank Pietropaolo all held a sizable lead throughout Election Night, outperforming a Democratic incumbent.

See the unofficial results below, provided by the Passaic County Clerk's Office (*denotes incumbent):

*Francine Ritter, Democrat —8,732 votes (14%)
Dylan J. Orren-King, Democrat —8,011 votes (12.84%)
Corey Tyrone McKinney, Democrat —8,365 votes (13.41%)
*Jason Destefano, Republican —11,748 votes (18.83%)
Donald DeDio Jr., Republican —11,594 votes (18.59%)
Frank Pietropaolo, Republican —11,492 votes (18.42%)
Katherine McEwan, Independent —1,068 votes (1.71%)
Suzanne Pudup, Independent —1,320 votes (2.12%)

Incumbent Council President Destefano will be joined by 27-year-old DeDio Jr., Chief of Staff to Senator Kristen Corrado, and 45-year-old Pietropaolo, a director of construction, when sworn in come January.

“We are deeply grateful for your trust and support in this election. Your voices were heard loud and clear, and together we achieved a resounding victory,” a joint statement from the Republican winners read. “We look forward to the next four years of continuing to serve this incredible community with the same dedication, integrity, and commitment that make Wayne such a special place to live, work, and raise and family.”

All results are unofficial until certified by the county clerk.