It has taken almost a month to get the results, but we finally know how Verona voted in the 2020 presidential election: Heavily, and overwhelmingly for Joe Biden.
According to data released today by the Essex County Clerk’s office, there were 9,350 votes cast in Verona in this election and 5,507 of them (58.9%) went for Biden, now the president-elect with 306 Electoral votes to President Donald Trump’s 232. Trump received 3,693 Verona votes this time (39.5%), up from 3,224 in 2016, when he lost here to Hillary Clinton, who got 3,783 votes in Verona.
In the 2020 Senate race, Cory Booker, the Democratic incumbent, defeated Rikin “Rik” Mehta with 58.2% of the votes cast to 40.8% for the Republican. In the race for the 11th House district, Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic incumbent, had an even wider margin over Republican challenger Rosemary Becchi, at 60.9% to 39%.
Verona also voted overwhelmingly to legalize recreational marijuana, ballot question #1. The vote was 6,021 Yes (66.9%) to 2,980 (33.1%) No. On ballot question #2, which would make peace-time veterans eligible for the same property tax deduction as war-time veterans, Verona voted 77.9% Yes to 22.1% No. On ballot question #3, which would delay the state legislative redistricting if Census data is received after February 15, the vote was 60.8% Yes to 39.2% No.
Lisa Freschi ran unopposed for re-election to the Board of Education, and received 5,500 votes. Lynn Halsey, who ran unsuccessfully for BOE in 2019, got 344 write-in votes.
