HOWELL - For weeks, no one has been able to say for sure whether the township's deputy mayor is still a resident of Howell.

Public records related to the October sale of his home show that Robert Nicastro, a Republican, is living in Freehold Township, but both he and township attorney Joseph Clark have told the Asbury Park Press he still lives in Howell.

See below for county records that show Nicastro's Freehold address

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Nicastro, whose term on the council is up at the end of 2018, sold his house on Stream Bank Drive for $640,000 on Oct. 18, according to public records. Following the sale, Nicastro didn't return at least five phone calls from the Press inquiring about where he's living.

Municipal elected officials are required by law to live in the town they serve. Nicastro's residency issue raises questions about whether he's allowed to remain the council and whether he's allowed to vote in Howell.

County property records show in an Oct. 24 deed of sale, Nicastro's "post office address" is a Hawthorne Court address in Freehold Township.

A vote-by-mail ballot Nicastro requested be sent to the Hawthorne Court address in Freehold Township was mailed to him on Sept. 19, according to public records obtained by the state Democratic Party. Vote-by-mail ballots for Nicastro's wife, Renee, and three adult children were also sent to the Hawthorne Court home in September and October.

Voter registration records obtained by the Press show that Nicastro is still registered to vote at his Stream Bank Drive address in Howell, even though the property has been sold. In New Jersey, if a voter moves within 30 days of an election, he or she can choose the new district or vote in the old one. But beyond 30 days, the law is unclear.

It is also unclear when he moved to Freehold Township since he asked for an absentee ballot on Sept. 10 — two months before the Nov. 6 election.

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Since vote-by-mail ballots have to be approved by the county clerk's office, the office would have to conduct an investigation upon request, according to state elections information.

A representative from the Monmouth County Clerk's Office did not return phone calls from the Press.

In an email sent to the Press on Monday, Nicastro said his vote-by-mail ballot was sent to his Howell address, which has a Freehold postal code. But public records provided by the state Democrats show the ballot went to his Freehold Township address in September.

The email from Nicastro, which he copied Clark, the town attorney, and Township Manager Brian Geoghegan on, also said he "continued to live in beautiful Howell Township." He says the township manager, attorney and "family and friends are aware" and can confirm that he lives in town.

When asked for his new Howell address, Nicastro declined, saying he chooses "not to have any more discussion with you which I believe I am not required to do based on your bias (sic) reporting."

After Clark told the Press Nicastro was living in Howell, he did not respond to a request for Nicastro's address.

When a Press reporter knocked on the Hawthorne Court door in Freehold Township on Tuesday morning, Nicastro's wife came out and told the reporter "you've got to be kidding me" before closing the gate and going back inside.

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Kala Kachmar: @NewsQuip; 732-643-4061; kkachmar@gannettnj.com