MONROE- Monroe interim Mayor Stephen Dalina, a Democrat, defeated Republican challenger Steve Martin for the two-year unexpired term for mayor, according to unofficial results.
With 100% of precincts reporting, results showed Dalina received 10,339 votes while Martin received 8,664.
Dalina was appointed interim mayor in January, following the death of Mayor Gerald Tamburro in December of last year.
Dalina, who moved to Monroe in 1998, was elected councilman-at-large in 2011 and served as council president from 2017 through 2019. He is director of records management for Business and Administrative Services at Rutgers University. He’s also a part-time adjunct faculty member at the Rutgers University School of Communication and Information and an instructor at the Kent State University College of Communication & Information.
During his campaign, Dalina said public safety remains a top priority.
He said he also wants to “further strengthen our superior township services, continue to stabilize municipal taxes, fight truck traffic from surrounding towns, preserve at least 50% of Monroe’s land area as permanent open space and work with the community to find new opportunities to improve our quality of life.”
Democrats led in the races for council at-large and Ward 1 and Ward 2 seats, while Republican incumbent Councilman Charles Dipierro led in the race in Ward 3.