In an editorial, Jersey City Heights resident and former Ward D council candidate Danielle Freire explains why she’s supporting Jake Ephros in the December 2nd runoff.
Every Jersey City election stirs up a mix of loyalties, hopes, and fears that shape not just how we choose, but who we choose.
I’ve seen it firsthand. As someone who has run for office, I know what it feels like when neighbors quietly admit they feel pressured: “I work for the county,” or “They’re telling me who to pick.” These complicated dynamics are still deeply felt in local politics.
I believe you deserve better than this transactional politics that treats your vote like a favor to be repaid instead of your right to choose a better future for all our neighbors.
Too often, people vote out of caution, worried about losing a job, a connection, or their place. It’s time for a change.
I know the other candidate running on Jim McGreevy’s slate might be your friend or colleague. But this moment requires more than likability.
From what I’ve seen and heard, their campaign doesn’t offer a vision rooted in making sure the Heights is more affordable for all its residents.
Instead, I see an old political playbook: well-funded, fear-based, and hungry for concentrated power.
That’s why I’m proud to support Jake Ephros for Ward D. Jake is centering the voices of neighbors whose daily realities are shaped by rising rents, unsafe streets, underfunded schools, and limited opportunity.
He’s building his campaign with and for those who carry the heaviest burdens of this city’s growth.
In my experience, people often reach for labels when systems feel unfamiliar.
There are always a few (cue the comments!) who want to paint Jake’s campaign as “dangerous,” but let’s be clear: what’s truly dangerous is accepting a city where real estate developers get richer while our neighbors can’t afford to stay.
Jake is committed to fairness, transparency, and policy grounded in dignity and justice. That shouldn’t scare us; it should inspire us.
We’ve seen glimpses of what people-centered politics grounded in imagination, compassion, and community can look like in other cities. Jersey City deserves to experience that, too.
I want to gently remind us that voting is not the end of our responsibility. It’s the beginning. We don’t transform a community by casting a single ballot and stepping back.
We transform it by continuing to show up, stay curious, stay connected, and hold each other accountable to the city we want to build. This moment offers us an opportunity to shape Jersey City into a place defined by dignity, shared power, and a deeper sense of care.
To my Ward D neighbors who are tired but cautious, who tell themselves “this is just how it’s done,” I’m asking you to take one small leap of faith.
Step outside the comfort of what you’ve always known. Vote for someone who is ready to lead with both heart and vision, who wants the job and is willing to do the work of improving it with us.
Vote for Jake Ephros, 1C on December 2nd.
