In Bayonne, four filed petitions to run for mayor, including incumbent Jimmy Davis, with 14 seeking to run for five city council seats, according to the municipal clerk’s office.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski, who was elected with Davis in 2014 and 2018, was an expected mayoral challenger, announcing her candidacy in December, with Dr. Mitchell Brown – who lost by a wide margin in 2018 – and former Board of Education Trustee Michael Alonso looking to join her on the May 10th ballot.
In an Instagram video, Alonso alleged that Davis submitted petitions after the 4 p.m. deadline.
“There’s nothing happening that should concern you,” a woman submitting petitions on Davis’ behalf says.
“Well if ballots are being handed in at 4 o’clock, I’m concerned,” Alonso replied, with him then being told they were already certified (which wouldn’t officially be possible until after the filing deadline had passed).
Following an inquiry from HCV, Bayonne Clerk Madelene Medina said that Davis actually submitted his petitions earlier that afternoon and that Alonso recorded “a photo-op.”
“Mayor Davis submitted his petition at 12:16 p.m. on Monday, March 7th, what Mr. Alonso witnessed was a phot-op since each member of the Davis Team submitted their petitions on separate days so I was able to verified their petitions in a timely manner,” she wrote in an email.
“That being said Mr. Alonso’s paperwork was stamped in at 4:01 on March 7th by my office staff.”
Candidates running citywide, for mayor or council-at-large, needed 440 valid signatures.
Expectedly, Davis’ at-large candidates, Councilman Juan Perez and retired police officer Loyad Booker, are facing off with Board of Education Trustee Jodi Casais and PAL Executive Director KT Torello – who are running with Nadrowski.
Also entering the fray at-large are Board of Education Trustee Denis Wilbeck and Apptuitive CEO Carissa Lintao.
In the 1st Ward, where 148 valid signatures were needed 1st Ward Councilman Neil Carroll (who is also running with Davis) will defend his seat against Housing Authority Commissioner John Cupo and Julie Sanchez Lynch, the latter a Nadrowski running mate.
For the open 2nd Ward seat, where 137 valid signatures are needed to make the spring ballot, voters will get a head-to-head matchup between Jacqueline Weimmer, backed by the mayor, and George Vinc, supported by Nadrowski.
Finally, in the 3rd Ward, where 154 valid signatures are required, another three-way dance is in the cards as Councilman Gary La Pelusa, a part of Team Davis, faces challenges from Peter Franco and Maria Valado.
Franco, an activist and frequent critic of the administration, came in a distant second to Carroll in the 2019 1st Ward special election, while Valado is serving her third term as the board of education president and is running alongside Nadrowski.
