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2d District election to be certified

MAYS LANDING, N.J. - The Atlantic County Board of Elections is to meet at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the old courthouse in Mays Landing to certify results of a hand recount that gave Democrat Vincent Mazzeo a victory over Assemblyman John Amodeo in the protracted election out of the Second Legislative District.

MAYS LANDING, N.J. - The Atlantic County Board of Elections is to meet at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the old courthouse in Mays Landing to certify results of a hand recount that gave Democrat Vincent Mazzeo a victory over Assemblyman John Amodeo in the protracted election out of the Second Legislative District.

The hand recount gave Mazzeo, the mayor of Northfield and the heir, along with brother Ben, to the family's iconic Route 9 produce market, the upset victory, and sparked an agonizing recount and a blame game that included allegations from Democrats of voter suppression and from Republicans of not enough help from Gov. Christie.

Amodeo had given a victory speech election night Nov. 5, apparently coming out on top by 379 votes. But Mazzeo was certified the winner by the Board of Elections two weeks later by 38 votes, after provisional ballots were counted. On Monday, the board added in results from 12 ballots approved by Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez, adding nine votes for Mazzeo in a race in which more than 100,000 separate votes were cast for four major and one independent candidate. (Each voter could vote for two candidates.) His unsuccessful running mate, Nicholas Russo of Longport, was awarded an additional 12 votes. Amodeo got none. Republicans will have 10 days from the date of certification to file an election challenge. If the recount holds up, Mazzeo will be sworn in next month as an assemblyman and sit alongside Republican Chris A. Brown, who won reelection. They will represent the Second District, which includes Atlantic City and most of Atlantic County.

- Amy S. Rosenberg