Prosecutor: Alleged voter fraud is being investigated in three coastal New Jersey towns

FREEHOLD – According to law enforcement officials, prosecutors are currently conducting a criminal investigation into allegations of voter fraud in Monmouth County.

“The District Attorney’s Office can confirm that there is an active investigation into allegations that certain individuals may have improperly registered to vote and/or voted in a previous election in Monmouth County,” said Mark Spivey, a spokesman for District Attorney Raymond S. Santiago.

The New Jersey Globe, which first reported the allegations, said state and federal law enforcement were investigating the nonpartisan local elections in Allenhurst, Deal and Loch Arbour last week. The article said election officials were concerned about a surge in voter registration after the number of eligible voters increased by nearly 75% in about a year.

“Although we cannot discuss specific details of the investigation at this time, we can say that we take all allegations of interference with free and fair elections extremely seriously, as ensuring their integrity is a fundamental responsibility for any functioning democracy,” said Spivey said in an emailed response to questions, which was the same statement prosecutors provided to the Globe.

In Allenhurst, the dispute over the redevelopment of the former Jersey Central Power & Light properties on Main Street downtown has been simmering for years.

The potential developer, Power Station LLC, and the county had reached a settlement, resolved through litigation, that would allow construction of 113 residential units consisting of townhomes and condominiums or apartments. The developer initially sought to build 245 residential units on the site.

23 of the planned residential units are supposed to be social housing, which means that the municipality would still not be fulfilling its obligation to create social housing.

The Allenhurst Taxpayers Association, made up of local property owners, has filed multiple lawsuits against the county and Power Station LLC, the most recent of which seeks to overturn the settlement. This affluent Jersey Shore enclave, which had a population of 472 at the 2020 census and a 2022 median household income of $95,625, is approximately 0.25 square miles.

In the nonpartisan municipal election on May 14, Frieda O. Adjmi, Joseph R. Dwek and Theresa Manziano-Santoro were elected to the three-member Allenhurst Board of Commissioners.

The trio caused a major political upset by ousting two of Allenhurst’s three commissioners – Richard Cumisky and David J. McLaughlin – in what has become a controversial election. A third incumbent, Christopher McLaughlin, did not seek re-election.

In last week’s race, Adjmi received 230 votes, Dwek 241 votes and Manziano-Santoro 251 votes.

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Meanwhile, incumbent county commissioners McLaughlin and Cumisky received 109 and 104 votes, respectively. A third vice president, Mark Horowitz, received 99 votes.

While the newcomers are not members of the taxpayers’ association, they belong to the Loch Arbour and Allenhurst Homeowner’s Association. In one of their campaign videos, which they showed to the Asbury Park Press, they explained that they are opposed to housing and can offer a better vision for the future of this wealthy enclave on the New Jersey shore.

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However, they have not commented on this story.

In neighboring Loch Arbour, longtime mayor Paul V. Fernicola was not re-elected to the village board. Another affluent but tiny coastal community, Loch Arbour is 0.09 square miles and had a population of 224 in 2020 and a median household income of $122,500 in 2022, according to census data.

However, Fernicola dropped out of the race last month. In an April 30 letter to voters, the mayor said he was retiring from public life “due to the ongoing harassment I and my family have been subjected to over the past few months” and urged voters to choose a candidate of their choice to name him as a replacement. He did not elaborate on the nature of the harassment, but wrote: “Recent events have made it clear that remaining on the Loch Arbor Board of Commissioners would not be in the best interests of me and my family.” With that in mind, my decision is mine “I have decided to resign my public office in the village of Loch Arbor.”

Despite this, he did not withdraw in time to be disqualified from the election and still received 66 votes. Fernicola declined to comment further to the press.

The other two incumbent commissioners, Alfred Cheswick and Denis D’Angelo, did not run for re-election.

Candidates Jacob “Jack” Hedaya and Jason Elo each received 105 votes. However, one or more candidates who could not be included on the list received 222 votes.

A spokeswoman for the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for a list of candidates running in Loch Arbor.

Only in Deal did the status quo remain after the election. This county, with a land area of 1.18 square miles, had a population of 900 in 2020 and the median household income was $73,380 in 2022, according to census data.

The incumbents on the three-member board – Sam Cohen, David Simhon and Jack Kassin – were able to fend off challenges from Isaac Chehebar, Samuel Ashkenazie and Albert Dwek.

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