The old saying, “every vote counts,” proved true Tuesday in Gloucester, as two races for county board of supervisors seats were decided by a margin of fewer than 25 votes.
In the closely contested races, candidate Michael Winebarger beat Michael Jenkins to become the next Petsworth District supervisor by 23 votes, and Phillip Bazzani edged out Graham Blake by only 14 votes in the York District race. A third York District candidate, Marcia Mickle, received less than 18 percent of the overall vote.
The at-large race for Gloucester County Board of Supervisors wasn’t as close. Republican candidate John Meyer Jr. easily won out over independent candidate Grant Keller by more than 3,000 votes. Meyer received 66.28 percent of the overall vote in the countywide race.
Candidates for the Gloucester County School Board, each running unopposed, received over 98 percent of votes in their respective districts. They were Charles Records, at-large; Troy Andersen, Gloucester Point; Anita Parker, Petsworth, and Carla Hook, York.
Gloucester’s voter registrar Bobbi Morgan said turnout in Gloucester was average compared to past years. In 2011, she said Gloucester had a 36 percent turnout; in 2010, a 44 percent turnout and in 2009, a 47 percent turnout. This year, she reported voter turnout was at 44 percent.
Morgan reported no major issues at the polls in Gloucester on Tuesday.
Following Tuesday’s results, Winebarger said, “I’m really humbled by the experience. I’ve met a lot of really nice people knocking on doors and I’m really appreciative to those who came out and voted. I want to try to do the work that needs to be done for the county.”
Meyer said he wished to congratulate his opponent on a hard fought and clean campaign. “I’d also like to thank the many supporters, the many people putting up signs, knocking on doors, making phone calls—all of those things that make a victory possible,” he said. “Thank you to the voters for their support and for their endorsement of a limited and fiscally constrained government. I want them to understand I know the hard part—the work—begins now. I will do that work and I will stay engaged with the electorate so that all board decisions arise out of the well-founded understanding of what the people need and want.”
“I would like to thank the citizens of Gloucester County for believing in me and allowing me to continue to move Gloucester in a positive direction,” Bazzani said. “I want to thank my supporters, especially Mr. Randy Orga for his tireless effort in helping me get my message out. Using my experience, I want to add value to the board of supervisors.”