County voters have lots of decisions to make Tuesday

Levittown - dlevinsky@phillyBurbs.com609-871-8154Get ready for a late night Tuesday because the outcome of the contentious governor's race is not likely to be decided until long after the polls close.Election Day is just two days away. Polls show the race between incumbent Democrat Gov. Jon S. Corzine and Republican challenger Chris Christie is still razor tight and will likely be decided by only a few percentage points, with Independent Christopher Daggett probably making an impact.Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.Corzine, the millionaire former Goldman Sachs executive and U.S. senator, is seeking four more years as the state's chief executive. His platform is that he has been able to control state finances, improve education, and preserve programs for the needy, seniors and disabled in spite of the devastating recession. Christie, the former U.S. attorney, says the state needs new leadership and has pledged to cut taxes and make New Jersey more business-friendly. The wild card is Daggett, whose Independent status and ideas for property tax relief and education reform have won over many voters. Although polls indicate Daggett is unlikely to garner enough support to surpass Christie or Corzine, political watchers say his ability to siphon votes from the major candidates could swing the election.Democrats outnumber Republicans in the county 94,327 to 66,636, according to an unofficial count by the Burlington County superintendent of elections. Unaffiliated voters still outnumber both major parties, with 123,294.The outcome of the race could reverberate down the ballot to the state legislative, county and local elections.The county freeholder race will be particularly important because control is at stake for the first time in 25 years.Jim Bernard of Cinnaminson and Kimberly Kersey of Mount Holly are seeking to join Chris Brown and Mary Anne Reinhart to give the Democrats majority control. They are being opposed by Bruce Garganio of Florence and Mary Ann O'Brien of Medford, who hope to keep Republican control with sitting Freeholder Joseph Donnelly.Also attracting attention in the county are Assembly races in the 7th, 8th and 30th districts.The 7th District race pits longtime incumbent Democrats Herb Conaway Jr. of Delanco and Jack Conners of Pennsauken against GOP challengers Leah Arter of Beverly and Harry Adams of Westampton. In the 8th District, Republicans Scott Rudder of Medford and Dawn Marie Addiego are seeking second terms. They are being challenged by Democrats William Brown of Mount Laurel and Debbie Sarcone of Evesham.In the 30th, incumbent Republicans Joseph Malone of Bordentown City and Ronald Dancer of Plumsted, Ocean County, are being challenged by John Kocubinski of North Hanover and William Spedding of Jackson, Mercer County.Twenty-eight of the county's 40 municipalities are having local elections, with contested races in Beverly, Bordentown Township, Cinnaminson, Delanco, Edgewater Park, Fieldsboro, Florence, Hainesport, Lumberton, Medford, New Hanover, North Hanover, Pemberton Borough, Riverside, Shamong, Tabernacle, Westampton and Wrightstown.County voters will be asked to decide a statewide question seeking approval to borrow $400 million to replenish the now-empty coffers of the Garden State Preservation Trust, which is the state's chief source of funding for open space, farmland and historic preservation.Also, there are local referendums in Beverly, Delran, Evesham, Moorestown and Springfield.

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