Leventhal and Ryan, Gartenlaub Win Primaries

and , Democrats, and , Republican, all won their today.

As of the results reported at 9:34 p.m. with over 95% of the votes counted, Leventhal received 1,854 or 50.45% of the votes and Ryan had garnered 1,802 votes or 49.03% of the Democratic vote.

In the Republican primary, Gartenlaub received 217 or 99% of the votes.

The three will go head to head in November for the two open seats.  Ryan and Leventhal are both running for reelection. The three other Township Committee seats are all occupied by Democrats: Mayor Vic DeLuca, Marlon Brownlee and India Larrier. Each term is for three years. The winners will take office on January 1, 2013.

"Jerry Ryan and I are now officially the Democratic Party Township Committee candidates for the November General Election," said Leventhal. "During our campaign, I intend to speak with Maplewoodians about your goals for our town, and how I will continue to work hard and work smart to make our town a better and better place to live and work."

"I'm looking forward to the fall campaign, and to talking to the citizens of Maplewood about my record and my plans to work smart for the future of our community," said Ryan.

Gartenlaub said, "Although it is obvious that I did not get the number of votes of either of my Democrat opponents (nearly 9 times differential), I am proud to say that not only did I receive greater than 96% of all Republican votes cast, but I was able to garner more votes than the top Republican presidential candidate, while both of my Democrat opponents received less votes than President Obama. This leaves the door open for the potential of a truly bipartisan election, not based upon national politics, but the many Maplewood issues that need to be decided over the next four years."