A day after stunning the Hudson County political scene with her upset of longtime East Newark Mayor Joe Smith, Dina Grilo thought back to one of her favorite moments from the campaign.

“A group of kids were chanting, ‘Go Dina, go Dina,’” Grilo said. “Seeing young kids super excited about (the campaign) made me excited, because they’re our future leaders.”

That excitement continued Tuesday when Grilo unseated Smith, the borough’s mayor for the last 32 years, in the town’s Democratic primary. With no Republican on the ballot, Grilo will likely win the November general election and become the borough’s first female mayor.

“I and my campaign were ecstatic,” she said. “I’m proud of my residents for coming out and actually casting a vote for change. I did this for the people.”

Grilo’s victory could mean the end of Smith’s political career, which also included an eight-year stint as a councilman in East Newark. Smith worked at the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission and has lived his whole life in the tiny borough of 2,700 residents.

“I was surprised. I thought enough people came out that would support me, but evidently not,” said Smith, the county’s longest tenured mayor. “The people have spoken. There’s still provisional ballots and absentee ballots out there, so I’m not going to concede until it’s verified that we have a winner.”

According to unofficial vote tallies, Grilo won by a 175-144 margin. Bob Knapp, the East Newark clerk, estimated that 10 provisional ballots and six mail-in ballots had not yet been counted. He expects to certify the election results Thursday.

Grilo, who works at JP Morgan & Chase and was a volunteer firefighter for five years, said her top priorities include improving recreation in the borough, changing council meetings from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and bringing the community together through various engagement events.

Smith said some of his biggest accomplishments include getting a senior center built in 1991, installing public safety cameras, stabilizing taxes, and a public referendum that gave him control of the borough’s school board.

Smith was known for performing wedding ceremonies – in fact, he conducted 1,384 in a four-year stretch between 2001 and 2005. On one Saturday, he performed 22 in a row, each scheduled 10 minutes after the other.

Before he leaves office, Smith said he’s excited about two new projects underway: the expansion of Tops Diner from a seating capacity of 160 to 301 and a new apartment project featuring 618 units, pending approval from city planners.

“I thank (the people) for the privilege of being their mayor, and even when I’m not mayor anymore, if I can help anybody, I will do it,” he said.

The Hudson County Democratic Organization, which supported Smith’s bid for re-election, congratulated Grilo on her victory while acknowledging Smith’s tenure.

“I would also like to personally thank East Newark Mayor Joe Smith for his long and distinguished career of dedicated service to his community,” HCDO Chair Amy DeGise said in a statement. “I congratulate Dina Grilo on her victory tonight and look forward to working with her to help implement her vision of moving East Newark forward.”

But Smith isn’t quite ready to say his professional life is completely over.

“You never can say never. I intend to take a break, but I love this town,” he said. “I’ve lived here all my life, and if I do see something that shouldn’t be happening, I will speak out.”