Voting took place in the town’s community center. (Photo by Peter Lindner. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD 
Three-term Democratic councilwoman Dina Long won the race to succeed Maria Fernandes as Sea Bright’s mayor Tuesday, walloping former Mayor Jo-Ann Kalaka Adams.
Incumbent Republican councilmen James LoBiondo and Read Murphy kept their seats on the governing body, easily outpolling Democratic challengers Marc Leckstein and Desiree Pierce.Long could not be reached for immediate comment.
Murphy said reports late in the race that Kalaka Adams owed the town tens of thousands of dollars in back taxes appeared pivotal.
“I think all that stuff that came out at the end” turned the mayoral race squarely in Long’s favor.
Here are the mayoral vote tallies, with all votes having been counted, according to the Monmouth County Clerk’s office:
| Vote Count | Percent | |
| REP – Jo-Ann Kalaka-Adams | 196 | 36.23% |
| DEM – Dina Long | 293 | 54.16% |
| – Christopher Sandel | 52 | 9.61% |
| Write-In | 0 | 0.00% |
| Total | 541 | 100.00% |
And here are the council race results:
| Vote Count | Percent | |
| REP – James LoBiondo, III | 288 | 27.40% |
| REP – C. Read Murphy | 291 | 27.69% |
| DEM – Marc A. Leckstein | 252 | 23.98% |
| DEM – Desiree A. Pierce | 219 | 20.84% |
| Write-In | 1 | 0.10% |
| Total | 1,051 |
