Despite remarkably peaceful Election Day, Hoboken voter turnout up about 10% from 2015

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While Election Day was remarkably peaceful in Hoboken on Tuesday, voter turnout was actually up about 10 percent from the city council races from four years ago, based on data provided by the Hudson County Clerk’s Office.

Photo via Hobokennj.gov.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

In 2015, 1,534 ballots were cast in the Mile Square City’s 1st Ward, which went down slightly to 1,499 last week.

The 2nd Ward saw a significant uptick in terms of turnout, with 1,881 votes counted on Tuesday vs. 1,554 four years ago. This may be the most surprising change, given that three candidates ran in 2015 and only two ran in this election cycle.

The most predictable difference was in the 3rd Ward. Uncontested in 2015, Councilman Michael Russo received 735 votes, along with 48 personal choice write ins, making for 783 votes total.

This year, adding an opponent to the mix nearly doubled turnout, with 1,454 voters weighing in, even though Russo never appeared to be in danger of losing to challenger Ron Bautista.

With the only ward with three candidates in 2015, the 4th Ward saw 1,659 voters have their voices heard, which went down to 1,466 this year.

That trend was also consistent in 2019’s 5th Ward race, where three candidates fought for a vacant seat, ending up with 1,741 voters weighing in. That number was a noticeable jump from 1,417 during the last council election.

Finally, the 6th Ward, also a three-way contest, saw a less significant, but still noticeable, uptick from 2015: 1,215 ballots cast then vs. 1,413 ballots cast last week.

All five winners from 2015 found the same result on Tuesday, joined by Phil Cohen, the only successful candidate on the five-person slate backed by Mayor Ravi Bhalla.

1st Ward Councilman Mike DeFusco received 995 votes this time around, compared to 863 during his first council bid.

In the 2nd Ward, incumbent Tiffanie Fisher was 2019’s top voter getter with 1,025, way up from the 775 that got her elected to her first four-year term.

Russo saw similar results, notching 735 votes in the previous race and he was able to bring that figure up to 970 on Tuesday.

Despite one less candidate on the ballot, Ramos posted similar tallies in 2015 and 2019, with vote totals of 980 and 921, respectively, picking up at least two thirds of the vote in each contest.

As for Council President Jen Giattino, the representative in the 6th Ward, her based stayed pretty much the same, at least in terms of votes cast: with 709 in 2015 and then 747 in 2019.

For what it’s worth, outgoing 5th Ward Councilman Peter Cunningham scored 855 votes to win a second term in 2015, while Cohen became his successor by recording 912 votes last week.

A more comprehensive review of the 2015 tallies can be viewed here, courtesy of the Hudson County Clerk’s Office.

 

Editor’s note: This story was updated on Tuesday, November 12th, after the Hudson County Clerk’s Office counted provisional tallies and certified the results.


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13 COMMENTS

  1. FYI, saw Ravi and Jen walking together across 11th St earlier today. Strolling leisurely, chatting like regular people. Not sure what they were doing but it was really refreshing to see that they are both just normal people and not the nasty enemies they’re depicted to be in HCV comments. Sure, they disagree on some things and have argued in the past, but they looked to be perfectly comfortable walking and talking.

    I’m not alone in really disliking the way HCV has allowed a small handful of raving political hacks to take over the comments here, ridiculously and viciously attacking office holders and candidates. Expressing differing opinions is great, nonstop unfounded attacks are not. Please, HCV, clear up your act.

  2. I saw the same thing. It followed the veteran’s event. Jen and Ravi left Elysian Park together. I don’t know what they had a conversation about but I am hopeful maybe it was an attempt at reconciliation by Ravi.

    • Now see, that’s exactly what I was talking about. Instead of just being a normal person and saying “I saw the same thing…I am hopeful everyone can set aside past differences and work together”, you have to be petty and play petty politics by hoping for “reconciliation by Ravi”. I didn’t take sides in my comment, why is it so hard for you to do that same. What’s gained by constantly vilifying and dragging the level discourse down? What’s the point? This is what drags Hoboken down. Why do it?

      • I’m missing something here Why would it be a put down of Ravi to hope that he is attempting reconciliation? To me it sounds more like a compliment.

        If Ravi is the first one reaching out that’s to his credit, and the reverse is true as well – if Jen is reaching out first that is to her credit.

        That said, if a reach out occurred it really doesn’t matter who extended their hand first. What matters is what comes next.

    • I think it is commendable that Jen has taken care of HR during his crippling illness, now working together with her in the same real estate company and that that she even lets him walk her dog and use it for emotional support. If he gets a little too weird defending her it is understandable

      • I have no idea who “HR” is or anything about his or her personal life, sorry to hear HR has been through a rough patch. That being said, everyone knows he/she has long been a poster of inflammatory, divisive comments.

  3. Whatever side of that divide you’re on I think pretty much everyone should be able to agree that the inability to move on from the emotions generated by the 2017 election has been bad for Hoboken.

    The Council is splintered, and governing will require coalition building. Together, Ravi’s team, Jen and Tiffanie could choose the next council president and planning board rep, as well as fill ZBA vacancies etc. Personally, I am still far more comfortable with a choice arising from that coalition than any other coalition I can think of.

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