A grand total of 52 candidates filed for the non-partisan November 4th municipal elections in Jersey City yesterday: seven for mayor, 15 for city council-at-large, and 30 for six ward council races.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The seven candidates who filed to succeed Mayor Steven Fulop are former Gov. Jim McGreevey, Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), Ward E Councilman James Solomon, Councilman President Joyce Watterman, ex-Board of Education President Mussab Ali, Police Officer Christina Freeman, and Kalki Jayne-Rose.
Jayne-Rose, a musician who lived in San Francisco last year who filed for mayor but did not end up running had not previously announced his candidacy, according to the Jersey City Clerk’s Office.
For the three city council-at-large seats up for grabs, all 15 candidates who declares filed, with no independents entering the fray.
Councilman-at-Large Daniel Rivera, Kristen Zadroga Hart, and Saundra Robinson Green are on the ballot, part of O’Dea’s ticket; Israel Nieves, Jennise Sarmiento, and Meredith Burns, all on Team McGreevey; Mamta Singh, Michael Griffin, and Roland Lavarro, running on Solomon’s slate; as well as Ali’s team of Ira Guilford, Tina Nalls, and Fernando Garcia have all made the ballot.
Joining them already are Rev. Tami Weaver Henry, Dr. Floyd Jeter, and Kenny Reyes, who are running with Watterman. Their running mate, Kenny Reyes, hasn’t been certified yet.
In Ward A, the five people running on slates all filed, with one surprise independent candidate doing so as well.
Councilwoman Denise Ridley (Solomon), Brandi Warren (McGreevey), Pam Johnson (O’Dea), Dave Carment (Watterman), and Tracy Sims (Ali) could be joined on the ballot by Lamont A. Wade, a local plumber. They were all certified by Friday evening.
Ward B is arguably the most surprising field, with four declared candidates potentially being joined by three independents.
Joel Brooks, who has traded endorsements with O’Dea, Efrain Orleans Jr. (McGreevey), Lorena Loayza (Solomon), and Idriss Zahidi (Ali), a biology teacher at Dickinson High School, are certified, along with independents Dannon Hill and Travis Heller, a compliance officer at the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency.
David Rios, a local barber, is the only candidate not certified yet.
In the race to represent Journal Square, the Ward C candidates are as expected for political insiders.
Councilman Boggiano (McGreevey), Tom Zuppa (O’Dea), Shahab Kahn (Ali), and Dawn Giambalvo (Solomon) are all certified for the fall race.
In the Heights-based Ward D, independent Jake Ephros, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Patrick Ambrossi (Ali), Elvin Dominici Encarnacion (O’Dea), Veronica Akaezuwa (Solomon), and Catherine Healy (McGreevey) are all filed and certified.
Jeff Justice Williams, who announced he was running with Watterman in May, did not file at all.
In Ward E’s downtown contest, things fleshed out as expected.
Alexander Hamilton (Watterman), Ryan Baylock (McGreevey), Eleana Little (Solomon), Stacey Lawrence (Ali), and Daniel Israel (O’Dea) are all filed and certified.
Finally, Ward F is the least competitive race on the ballot, at least in terms of candidates filed.
Councilman Frank “Educational” Gilmore, who traded endorsements with Solomon, is defending his seat against Gloria Walton (McGreevey) and Rev. Keith Howell Garvin (O’Dea). All three are already certified.
Vernon Richardson, who ran unsuccessfully in 2021, announced he was running with Watterman in April, but he did not file.
The filing deadline was yesterday at 4 p.m., while the deadline to cure petitions is Monday at 4 p.m. Citywide candidates needed 100 valid signatures, while 75 were necessary for ward council candidates.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect that mayoral candidate Mussab Ali and his running mates have all been certified, followed by a second update to reflect that Ward B council candidate David Rios is the only person not certified yet.
