Growing Discontent in Holmdel

The election is over, and Holmdel’s Republican Party and its candidates may be toasting their unopposed win! But the absence of challengers on the ballot should not be mistaken for wholehearted public approval. Last night’s write-in votes deserve a closer look.

The accompanying graph shows approximately 400 write-ins and counting in last night's resuls—the highest number of write-in votes ever in Holmdel! That is more than double the 164 recorded in 2024, when Mayor Rocco Impreveduto also ran unopposed.

Write-in voting can be a way for residents to express dissatisfaction with the choices before them. It takes a deliberate decision to enter another name. We cannot assume that every write-in was a protest. Nevertheless, the increase deserves scrutiny, particularly against the backdrop of a string of debacles by the Township Committee.

Consider the former Vonage property. Foreclosure proceedings and a township default notice have now left the redevelopment’s future uncertain, while demolition and accumulated debris remain visible at the site.

Then there are JCP&L’s towering utility poles. The mayor and township officials publicly objected to the installations after the poles went in, although they had held meetings and conducted walk-throughs with JCP&L officials some two years earlier.

The proposed Bell Works data center presents another controversy. The township adopted its data-center ban after the application had been filed, leaving serious questions about the efficacy of this ban, while the data center applicant’s counsel has clearly pointed to their main argument: that the township approved a “test fit” and confirmed that the proposal complied with the redevelopment agreement earlier.

Then there is the public advocate role that was created in a rushed manner and can only be construed as a way to provide political cover for the mayor and the township if the data center application ends up in court.

In that context, the steep rise in the number of write-in votes paints the true picture. People are unhappy with the way Holmdel is trending!

Yes, the elections may be over for now, but there is one every November. We, as residents, should stay active and ensure that we choose the right candidates for the sake of Holmdel’s future.

Prakash Santhana

Former Holmdel Deputy Mayor