EWING – Seeking to fill a vacancy created by Acting Treasurer Liz Muoio’s departure from the Legislature to the Front Office, Democrats at the Hollowbrook Community Center this morning went to a second ballot as they sought to put someone in Muoio’s LD15 Assembly seat.

Three candidates competed in the first ballot:

Ayesha Hamilton of West Windsor;

Verlina Reynolds Jackson of Trenton;

and Anthony Verrelli of Hopewell Twp.

179 delegates voted.

The winner needed to receive 50% plus 1 for the nod.

No one reached that mark, as Verrelli and Reynolds Jackson split the field and knocked off Hamilton in the first ballot.

In the first ballot, according to County Counsel Arthur Sypek, Hamilton received 16 votes.

Reynolds Jackson got 87 votes.

Verrelli received 76 votes.

In the lead-up to the machine vote, attorney, “serial relationship-builder” and Governor Phil Murphy Transition Team Member Hamilton spoke first.

“We have had a rough few months as Democrats,” the West Windsor Councilwoman told the packed senior center. “We have watched national policy hit us hard. Democrats are waking up every morning with a sigh. You need a strong and intelligent advocate to stand with Governor Murphy ever single day. We are under attack.”

Reynolds Jackson – a Trenton Councilwoman and the chair of the Mercer County Democratic Committee – spoke second.

“I am the most qualified, most experienced person before you today,” said the Capital City Councilwoman. “I’m going to take this fat passion to the Statehouse for you.

“We want to shut down that PennEast Pipeline Project,” she added to cheers. “I am that fire. I am that passion. I want to work for you, and I humbly ask for your support.”

The speech won strong applause.

Verrelli spoke last.

“I want to tell you a story about me,” said the Mercer County Freeholder, prez of his carpenter’s local in Edison, standing onstage. “Twenty-five years ago I walked in the Statehouse with a tool belt around my waist.”

He said he wanted to walk into the Statehouse again, this time as an assemblyman.

“If elected, I will be a fierce advocate for the district,” he added.

The event was well attended. At first it looked like just one ballot booth would accommodate the voting process, but soon they managed to get a second operational. Broken into ward sections, Trenton committee-members took the longest to vote.

The crowd included neighboring LD14 lawmakers state Senator Linda Greenstein, Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo and Assemblyman Dan Benson. Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-15), Mercer Freeholders Andrew Koontz, John Cimino, Sam Frisby and Lucy Walter attended. So did Mercer County Executive

Brian Hughes, Trenton Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson, former Mercer County Sherriff Gil Lugossy, former Freeholder Keith Hamilton, T. Missy and Gerry Balmir, West Windsor Mayor Shing-fu Hsueh, East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov, political ninja Grace Strom Power, Ewing Councilwoman Sarah Steward, Democratic State Committee Vice Chair (and Carpenters Political Director) Lizette Delgado Polanco, Trenton insider Karen Kominsky, Kivvit operator Chris Donnelly, Ewing Councilman David P. Schroth, Tom Hester of the Assembly Majority Office, Hamilton diehard Tennille R. McKoy, League of Conservation Voters boss Ed Potosnak, Trenton at-Large Council candidate Jerell Blakeley, Dan Smith from Speaker Craig Coughlin’s (D-19) office, and among many others.

Following the first ballot vote, the three candidates went to the front of the room and stood onstage, digesting the news that delegates would require a second vote. Departing from the field, Hamilton gave no indication of a preference for the runoff, bowing out with a reminder that U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12) will formally launch her reelection bid later today.