In the only local election with any ascertainable drama, 4th Ward Councilman Christopher Campos, 25, pulled away from former City Council President Nellie Moyeno and local real-estate consultant Michael Lenz for a comfortable victory in the 4th Ward council race Tuesday evening. More than doubling the vote totals of each competitor, the recent law school graduate received 927 votes, compared to 405 votes for Moyeno and 213 for Lenz.
That means Campos, who was backed by Mayor David Roberts and his allies, will continue to have a say in the activities of the nine-member City Council, which votes on local ordinances and resolutions.
With the political and financial backing of Hoboken’s most powerful political brawn, Campos was given cause to celebrate Tuesday, which he did at Hoboken’s United campaign headquarters on Washington Street.
Surrounding Campos were Mayor Roberts, incumbent State Sen. Bernard Kenny, City Council President Tony Soares and At-large Councilman Ruben Ramos, whom Campos had replaced as interim 4th Ward Councilman after Ramos won an at-large positron in May.
"It’s been a real roller coaster, but tonight it’s worth it," said a beaming Campos as he hugged and shook the hands his supporters. "All the detractors said that I don’t live here, but tonight’s victory proves them all wrong and finally puts that to rest. I’m am a part of this village and always have been, and that’s what the voters said tonight. Hoboken is still united."
Then he thanked his political supporters and gave a pledge of accountability to his constituents. "It’s been a long hard road that I have fought with [Mayor Roberts], Tony [Soares], and Ruben [Ramos]," Campos said. "Now together we will attend to the needs of the residents in the 4th Ward and give them confidence that the administration is working diligently on their behalf."
Lacking the drama but still basking in the victory glow Tuesday night was A. Nino Giacchi, who ran unopposed in the 6th Ward. Giacchi replaced Roberts in the 6th Ward after Roberts ascended to the position of the city’s chief executive in July.
"While no one ran against me, I’m still sharing in the excitement with Chris and the rest of this winning team," Giacchi said. "Now it’s time to get down to work and a start putting into effect intelligent policy that will benefit everyone in Hoboken."
The others
Third-place finisher Michael Lenz, 45, had worked as Mayor Roberts’ campaign manager during the last election but had since broken with the mayor, believing that Campos was not a good choice for 4th Ward Council. Lenz thought that Campos had lacked the experience and that he hadn’t lived in the ward for more than a few months.
Lenz said last week that he felt he ran a good race, but was in the end was outpaced by the large amount of spending by the Campos team.
"It was a textbook strategy," Lenz said. "On the outer surface it was non-confrontational and their platform was very consistent to what Hoboken United had run on, but beneath that surface layer, they hired 400 workers and used some questionable absentee ballot practices. If they come through with all they said they would in their campaign, I’ll be thrilled that I lost and will be free to enjoy my family and this wonderful town. But if they fall short I’ll be there pitching."
City Council President Tony Soares said Tuesday that Campos won because he focused on issues and not attacks.
"[Campos’] victory is a referendum that reflects very positively on the job that this administration and this mayor have been doing since being elected," Soares said. "The people of the 4th Ward think he is doing a good job and overwhelmingly showed their approval by the way they chose to vote."
But like Lenz, Moyeno likewise plans on holding Campos and the administration accountable for their actions.
"This ward is the ward with the most needs in the enitre city, and during their campaign they really prayed on those needs," she said Wednesday. "Now that they have won, they are going to have to produce what they said they will. And I’ll be here watching them to make sure that happens. If they fail, I will be more prepared to run again in two years."
Campos is optimistic and excited about the opportunities ahead of him the next two years. "My number one priority is improving the conditions at the Hoboken Housing Authority," he said. "I want to continue to put the pressure on the [HHA] to make sure that they are receptive to the needs of the community, and I will work hard to try and stamp out issues of mismanagement."
Campos added, "Other issues that I look forward to tackling are issues that effect everyone in Hoboken. Traffic, parking and development are important issues that require zeal and teamwork to solve, and that’s what we can bring to the table."
More controversy
If recent history is a guide, there can’t be an election in the 4th Ward without allegations of voter fraud.
This year’s election was no different. Tuesday, state Superior Court Judge Jose Fuente issued an order to impound absentee ballots. Those are ballots that people can file if they can’t make it to the polls on election day due to vacation or medical condition. They’ve long been controversial in the 4th Ward, as campaigners have been accused of stomping through senior citizens buildings enticing seniors to fill them out in advance for their candidate.
Representatives of Lenz’s campaign said in court in Jersey City Tuesday that Joanne "Sissy" Turso, a city worker, Campos supporter and wife of Hoboken Parking Authority chairman Frank Turso, submitted at least one fraudulent ballot application with the assistance of Sandra Ramos, the mother of City Councilman-at-Large Ruben Ramos.
The application that was brought before the court Tuesday morning was solicited from and submitted on behalf of a Hoboken resident and municipal worker who, according to Lenz, no longer lived at the address written on the form. Also according the deposition that was filed in the court, Turso allegedly filled in portions of the application without the Hoboken resident present and without the person’s knowledge.
The judge has referred the case to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s office and they will be conducting and investigation this week and will turn their findings over to the judge Tuesday. Then the judge will make finding whether or not the ballots are valid.
While the exact number of ballots in question is unknown, the number is far below the total number needed by either of the challengers to surpass Campos’ lead.
"But what impounding the ballots will do is help law enforcement get to the bottom of what happened," said Lenz. "It sounds like something very wrong happened, and people must be held accountable if they are part of this pattern and their punishment should be as severe as the law allows."
Neither Turso nor Sandra Ramos could be reached for comment.
Campos’ supporters believe the allegations are nothing more than thinly veiled political attempts to get back at the Hoboken Parking Authority. Lenz was under consideration this summer for the top job at the HPA, but was passed over. Some speculated that this rejection was one of the reasons that he decided to run in the 4th Ward in the first place, allegations that Lenz denies.
"This is just part of Michael Lenz’s war against the Parking Authority that won’t give him a paycheck," said City Council President Tony Soares Wednesday. "He had no problems with [Turso] collecting ballots when he was our campaign manager, and now all of the sudden he does. He’s just being vindictive and a sore loser."
Campos said as of Wednesday that he was not aware of all of the specifics of the case, but is confident that the voters have spoken and he had a complete victory.
"The numbers speak for themselves," he said. "We won in a landslide and the numbers said that the people want Hoboken United and they want Chris Campos."
State elections
In the governor’s race, Democratic Woodbridge Mayor Jim McGreevey soundly drubbed the Republican candidate, former Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler statewide. McGreevey took more than 56 percent of the vote compared to Schundler’s 42 percent.
Hudson County made a strong showing for McGreevey despite Schundler’s Jersey City ties. In the county, the Democratic governor-elect garnered 82,124 votes, more than doubling the former Jersey City mayor’s 36,209 votes.
In Hoboken, the Democrats came out in good numbers to elect the first Democratic New Jersey governor since Jim Florio, who served from 1990 to 1994. McGreevey scored 6,516 votes to Schundler’s 2,556.
The Democrats also won a majority in the Assembly for the first time in 10 years and gained five seats in the Senate, forcing a 20-20 split that deprives the Republicans of majority status.
All Democratic legislative candidates in Hudson County won easily, as expected.
In the 33rd District, which includes Hoboken, incumbent State Sen. Bernard Kenny trounced Republican candidate Nancy Gaynor of Jersey City by taking over 75 percent of the vote. Kenny has been mentioned as a possible Senate president.
In the Assembly, West New York Mayor Albio Sires was re-elected and will be joined by Rafael Fraguela, who replaces Assemblyman Rudy Garcia, the former Union City Mayor who did not seek re-election.