RED BANK: LANDSLIDE COMING?

From left at top: Democrats Mike Ballard and Mike DuPont face Republicans Mark Taylor and Mike Whelan in the November 3 election. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

Election 2015 graphicBelow are the results of redbankgreen’s first, totally unscientific, finger-in-the-wind attempt at election polling: a survey intended for Red Bank voters about the borough council race.

On the November 3 ballot are Mike Ballard and Mike DuPont, Democrats, and Mark Taylor and Mike Whelan, Republicans. (The links take you to their answers to a Q&A earlier this month.)

First, a disclaimer: We make no assertions whatsoever about the poll as a reflection of the electorate. For one thing, there’s no way of knowing if the 118 responses we got came from Red Bank residents, let alone voters. And while Survey Monkey, the service we used to conduct the poll, limits responses to one per IP address (the unique identifier assigned to each internet-connected device), determined ballot-stuffers can find their way around such barriers.

So why do it? Just to see. And to have some data we can compare to the actual results when the election’s over.

Our survey, which drew 118 responses, shows Republicans beating Democrats by a wide margin to take control of the council for the first time since 1989.

rbg poll Q1 102615

Here’s the exact breakdown:

rbg poll q1 breakdown 102615

And here’s where the responses purport to have come from, by voting district:

rbg poll q2 102615

One key here is the weak representation of District 9 on the West Side, which has historically been a source of strength for the Democratic party.

RB voting districts map

Here are all the optional comments left with the surveys:

• Red Bank needs to pay attention to it’s residents needs – taxes here are out of control. New ideas and management is so needed.

• I would be inclined to vote for one Republican if they were not beholden to Sean DiSomma.
• Let’s go Mets!
• Du Pont is a disgrace.
• Time to get the GOP in there to cut spending, reduce taxes and stop cronyism.
• Leaning towards Dupont only because he is so vocally opposed to the Jetsun plan, and I hope he can fight it. I think Mark Taylor has interesting ideas, but it depends on exactly how tight he is with Sean DiSomma and the Red Bank Republicans. DiSomma is an arrogant bully, and if he’s backing Taylor and Whelan, I just can’t, in good faith, vote for them. Note to DiSomma: you are becoming your party’s own worst enemy.
• I don’t think I can vote for any candidate who is supported by Sean DiSomma. Even Cindy Burnham wants nothing to do with him.
• time for new blood. Not happy with the current council and in particular the actions regarding Marine Park and the results to date. The tennis proposal would have been clean, easy, good for the people and maintained the historical purview of our town.
• Great poll John!
• I believe that DuPont and Ballard have personal agendas, which is why I’m not voting for them
• Fear that the republicans are all talk, but Ballard has nothing to say and was part of the BOE that significantly raised taxes – not good for a financial planner