Branchville was the third municipality to see a newcomer lead the pack, with Russell Bellis Jr. earning 102 votes for the first of two nominations on the Republican line. The second spot remains up for grabs, as the county website shows incumbent Steven Shechner and challenger Troy Orr tied with 64 votes each.
In Andover, Eric Karr earned the nod for one of two Republican seats along with Mayor Janis McGovern. The challenger received 434 votes and McGovern 445, giving the pair who ran as a team the two Republican nominations over Deputy Mayor Michael Lensak s 242 votes.
Lensak, who served on the Township Committee from 2010 to 2015 before being elected again in 2018, congratulated his opponents in a Facebook post Wednesday.