Thursday was the deadline for candidates to file signed petitions in order to run for mayor or council in Jersey City’s May 12 municipal elections.
Five candidates filed to run for mayor by the deadline: incumbent Mayor Jerramiah Healy, former Assemblyman Louis Manzo, current Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith, downtown activist Dan Levin, and resident Phil Webb. Petitions for the first four candidates had been certified as of press time last week.
In addition to the mayor’s seat, elections will also be held May 12 for three council-at-large seats and six ward council seats. See the sidebar below for the complete list of 43 candidates for the nine seats.
In order to be eligible to run for mayor and the three city-wide at-large council seats, candidates had to submit 1,392 valid signatures of registered voters in Jersey City. That number equalled 1 percent of the 139,186 registered voters citywide in the November 2008 general election.
After receiving the signed petitions, the city clerk must certify that there are enough correct signatures for the candidate to run. Often, candidates try to get extra signatures in case some are judged to be invalid.
Those running for City Council seats in one of the city’s six wards were required to submit signed petitions equal to 1 percent of the number of registered voters living in that specific ward.
Notable independent candidates running for council in May include incumbent City Councilman Steven Fulop in Ward E. Fulop was thought to be a mayoral contender until the end of last year, when he announced he would run for re-election to the council. He is running as an independent, not on anyone’s slate. His petitions were certified last week.
Longtime community activist Lavern Webb Washington was also certified to run as an independent running for the council, in her case, in Ward F.
On their own
Besides the candidates with name recognition, there are several candidates running for council who are new to politics.
Adela Rohena is a 51-year-old St. Peter’s College student and mother of two. She is running as an independent for the Ward C seat in the Heights section, a slot previously filled by two-term councilman Steve Lipski, who chose not to run for a third term.
Rohena was certified earlier this month by the City Clerk’s office to be on the ballot. Rohena said she got her petitions in December, and it took her two months to collect over 200 signatures for the Ward C seat.
“I don’t think the people who represent us, really represent us.” – Adela Rohena
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“I don’t think the people who represent us, really represent us,” Rohena said. “They don’t read the [newspaper], and instead they tell you everything is great, and it is not.”
If elected, Rohena plans to address issues such as more affordable housing and more assistance for the homeless.
“I am delighted to represent my distinguish constituents of Ward C and all Jersey City residents,” she said.
Checking all the candidates
City Clerk Robert Byrne, marking his 20th year in the office, was not in a celebratory mood when interviewed last week, saying he was “underwhelmed by the effort” of some of the potential candidates coming into his office to file petitions.
Byrne said when he met with the candidates looking to run for mayor and/or council, he not only explained the rules, but also gave them twice as many petitions as needed, and advised them to have all the petitions signed so they can have a better chance of being certified.
Instead, some of the candidates in question – he did not mention names – brought in the exact amount required or less than that amount.
“We have tried to give them all the information needed, and give them the benefit,” Byrne said.
“No one gets a free ride.”
Candidates whose petitions fall short because some of the signers aren’t registered to vote must undergo a process called “curing.” They must register the people who signed. They cannot add new signatures to make up the shortfall.
Byrne said that right now, there is no date set for the drawing for positions on the ballot, until any-last minute legal challenges to petitions are addressed.
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonrreporter.com.
Sidebar
Running for Jersey City Mayor this May are the incumbent Jerramiah Healy, Louis Manzo, L. Harvey Smith, Dan Levin, and Phil Webb.
Healy has a full slate of nine council candidates who are running with him, all of whom are certified. Six of them are incumbents. They are Michael Sottolano, Ward A; Phil Kenny, Ward B; Nidia Rivera Lopez, Ward C; Bill Gaughan, Ward D; Guy Catrillo, Ward E; Viola Richardson, Ward F; and Willie Flood, Peter Brennan, and Mariano Vega for the citywide at-large seats.
Dan Levin has four council candidates running with him: Andrew Hubsch and Emilio DeLia for council-at-large and Douglas Salters in Ward B and Norrice Raymaker in Ward C. All four on his ticket have been certified by the City’s Clerk’s office as of Friday, 9:30 a.m.
Running on Smith’s ticket are Frances Thompson, Ward A; Paul Catsandonis, Ward B; Craig Bailey, Ward C; Rev. John Muniz, Ward D; Jamie Vazquez, Ward E; Calvin Hart, Ward F; and Ronnie Greco, Noemi Velazquez, and Frank Scalcione for the citywide at-large seats. Certified so far on Smith’s team by Friday were Greco, Velazquez, Thompson, Catsandonis, Scalcione and Hart.
Candidates on Manzo’s team are Rolando R. Lavarro Jr., Ward A; Arthur Williams, Ward B; Jimmy King, Ward C; Sgt. James Carroll, Ward D; Joseph Tarrazi, Ward E; Rev. Ronnie-Calvin Clark, Ward F; and Joseph Cassidy, Betty Outlaw, and Lori Serrano for the at-large seats.
Certified on Manzo’s ticket are Sorrano, Outlaw, Cassidy, Lavarro, Williams, King, Carroll, Tarrazi and Clark.
Other certified independent candidates include Marie Day and Abdul Malik for at-large; Andre Richardson in Ward A; Michael Manzo in Ward B; Azam Riaz in Ward E; and Tyrone Ballon and Omar Barbour in Ward F. Independent candidates who had filed by the deadline but was not certified as of 9:30 a.m. Friday was Asim Usman – RK