With the election results being certified last Friday, the county released numbers about those who voted earlier this month. Union County data showed that out of the 8,578 registered voters in Roselle Park, 4,835 were shown to have cast a ballot on election day this year – about 56%.
In relation to the other 20 municipalities in Union County, Roselle Park ranked 13th out of 21 – with only Elizabeth, Hillside, Kenilworth, Linden, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle, and Winfield having a lower percentage of those registered to vote actually having done so this year.
| Municipality | Voters | Cast | (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountainside | 5,360 | 3,630 | 67.7% |
| Berkely Heights | 9,976 | 6,703 | 67.2% |
| Cranford | 17,742 | 11,900 | 67.1% |
| Fanwood | 5,733 | 3,818 | 66.6% |
| Garwood | 3,112 | 2,062 | 66.3% |
| New Providence | 9,206 | 6,054 | 65.8% |
| Summit | 15,767 | 10,302 | 65.3% |
| Westfield | 23,217 | 15,035 | 64.8% |
| Scotch Plains | 18,087 | 11,409 | 63.1% |
| Springfield | 12,113 | 7,385 | 61.0% |
| Clark | 11,665 | 7,002 | 60.0% |
| Union Township | 37,665 | 21,291 | 56.5% |
| Roselle Park | 8,578 | 4,835 | 56.4% |
| Winfield | 1,066 | 598 | 56.1% |
| Kenilworth | 5,475 | 2,987 | 54.6% |
| Rahway | 18,311 | 9,756 | 53.3% |
| Hillside | 14,094 | 7,466 | 53.0% |
| Roselle | 13,702 | 7,132 | 52.1% |
| Linden | 25,930 | 13,436 | 51.8% |
| Plainfield | 23,429 | 12,103 | 51.7% |
| Elizabeth | 57,879 | 23,830 | 41.2% |
Only 4% of those who voted did not vote for mayor. In total there were 4,647 voters who cast ballots for the head of the borough which elected Joseph Signorello III by 54% of the mayoral votes.
| Candidate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Joseph Signorello III | 2,529 | 54.42% |
| William Fahoury | 1,261 | 27.14% |
| Carl Hokanson | 852 | 18.33% |
| Personal Choice | 5 | 0.11% |
TOTAL | 4,647 | 100% |
In the second ward, 64% of 1,802 eligible voters cast ballots for their ward representative with incumbent Joseph Petrosky getting 3 out of every 5 votes to have him retain his position. 10% of people who voted did not choose a ward council representative.
| Candidate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Joseph Petrosky | 644 | 61.10% |
| Richard Graves | 407 | 38.61% |
| Personal Choice | 3 | 0.29% |
TOTAL | 1,054 | 100% |
The fifth ward had a lower percentage turnout with only 53% of the 1,886 voters voting for their 5th ward council representative. Newcomer Robert Mathieu was elected to the position by a ratio of 3 to 2.
| Candidate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Robert Mathieu | 562 | 61.7% |
| Thomas 'Thos' Shipley | 349 | 38.3% |
| Personal Choice | 0 | 0.0% |
TOTAL | 911 | 100% |
Breaking down the wards, the majority of registered voters are in the 5th ward but they had the second lowest turnout. The second ward had the second largest number of registered voters (1,802) and the highest turnout (1,160).
| Ward | Voters | Cast | (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Ward | 1,677 | 951 | 56.7% |
| 2nd Ward | 1,802 | 1,160 | 64.4% |
| 3rd Ward | 1,628 | 928 | 57.0% |
| 4th Ward | 1,585 | 792 | 50.0% |
| 5th Ward | 1,886 | 1,004 | 53.2% |
TOTAL | 8,578 | 4,835 | 56.4% |
Even with the lower turnout than surrounding communities, historical data shows that this year was the 5th highest turnout in a non-presidential election year in the last 35 years* and the highest turnout – again for a non-presidential election year – since 1995.
| Year | Voters | Cast | (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 6,756 | 4,594 | 68.0% |
| 1989 | 6,708 | 4,494 | 67.0% |
| 1994 | 7,015 | 4,630 | 66.0% |
| 1990 | 6,596 | 4,261 | 64.6% |
| 2018 | 8,578 | 4,829 | 56.3% |
| 1985 | 7,310 | 4,094 | 56.0% |
| 1987 | 6,491 | 3,596 | 55.4% |
| 1997 | 7,620 | 4,214 | 55.3% |
| 2006 | 7,482 | 4,066 | 54.3% |
| 1983 | 7,351 | 3,918 | 53.3% |
| 1986 | 7,011 | 3,737 | 53.3% |
| 2005 | 7,338 | 3,682 | 50.2% |
| 2002 | 7,341 | 3,680 | 50.1% |
| 1991 | 6,575 | 3,222 | 49.0% |
| 1998 | 7,685 | 3,597 | 46.8% |
| 2010 | 7,792 | 3,542 | 45.5% |
| 2009 | 7,711 | 3,455 | 44.8% |
| 2014 | 7,881 | 3,277 | 41.6% |
| 2017 | 8,344 | 3,249 | 38.9% |
| 2013 | 7,676 | 2,923 | 38.1% |
| 1999 | 7,281 | 2,577 | 35.4% |
| 1995 | 6,923 | 2,215 | 32.0% |
| 2007 | 7,140 | 2,240 | 31.4% |
| 2003 | 7,373 | 1,966 | 26.7% |
| 2011 | 7,532 | 1,756 | 23.3% |
| 2015 | 7,877 | 1,671 | 21.2% |
For all years since 1983*, the highest voter turnout in the borough was the 1992 election, at 85%.
| Year | Voters | Coast | (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 7,024 | 5,970 | 85.0% |
| 1988 | 6,932 | 5,663 | 81.7% |
| 1984 | 7,720 | 6,292 | 81.5% |
| 2008 | 7,953 | 5,759 | 72.4% |
| 2004 | 7,733 | 5,443 | 70.4% |
| 1996 | 7,417 | 5,110 | 68.9% |
| 2016 | 8,370 | 5,750 | 68.7% |
| 1993 | 6,756 | 4,594 | 68.0% |
| 2000 | 7,668 | 5,209 | 67.9% |
| 1989 | 6,708 | 4,494 | 67.0% |
| 1994 | 7,015 | 4,630 | 66.0% |
| 2012 | 7,841 | 5,117 | 65.3% |
| 1990 | 6,596 | 4,261 | 64.6% |
| 2018 | 8,578 | 4,829 | 56.3% |
| 1985 | 7,310 | 4,094 | 56.0% |
| 1987 | 6,491 | 3,596 | 55.4% |
| 1997 | 7,620 | 4,214 | 55.3% |
| 2006 | 7,482 | 4,066 | 54.3% |
| 1983 | 7,351 | 3,918 | 53.3% |
| 1986 | 7,011 | 3,737 | 53.3% |
| 2005 | 7,338 | 3,682 | 50.2% |
| 2002 | 7,341 | 3,680 | 50.1% |
| 1991 | 6,575 | 3,222 | 49.0% |
| 1998 | 7,685 | 3,597 | 46.8% |
| 2010 | 7,792 | 3,542 | 45.5% |
| 2009 | 7,711 | 3,455 | 44.8% |
| 2014 | 7,881 | 3,277 | 41.6% |
| 2017 | 8,344 | 3,249 | 38.9% |
| 2013 | 7,676 | 2,923 | 38.1% |
| 1999 | 7,281 | 2,577 | 35.4% |
| 1995 | 6,923 | 2,215 | 32.0% |
| 2007 | 7,140 | 2,240 | 31.4% |
| 2003 | 7,373 | 1,966 | 26.7% |
| 2011 | 7,532 | 1,756 | 23.3% |
| 2015 | 7,877 | 1,671 | 21.2% |
*Voter data was not available for 2001
Maybe someday, more than a little over one out of every two voters will take five minutes to have a hand in deciding who will represent them in their ward and in their borough. That is not too much to hope for, especially in a one-square-mile town.