TRENTON – Everyone was thrown by a loophole in the statute that – in the case of a sheriff vacancy – requires just 37 instead of the usual 53-day deadline for a special election, acknowledged state Senator Paul Sarlo (D-36).

“I was hopeful that the governor could appoint an interim sheriff with the advice and consent of the senate, who could go in and stabilize the office and allow the political process to play out over a longer period of time,” Sarlo told InsiderNJ.

That looks unlikely at this point, as Bergen – a big and politically unruly county – scrambles to try to get a  Democratic sheriff’s candidate lined up.

Republicans are immersed in the same shot-time frame process.

Sarlo said he wants to introduce legislation that would eliminate the 37-day runway requirement.

“It should be 53 days, same as everything else,” the senator said.

He noted that it’s too late to legislatively impact this particular case, caused by the resignation last Friday of former Bergen County Sheriff Mike Saudino.