Dear Editor:
In the aftermath of one of the most devastating natural disasters to ever hit our great city, it was incredibly inspiring to see so many residents come together and turn out in big numbers to vote at the polls on Tuesday. While we continue to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy, the importance of our community speaking up and being heard on the questions that affect future of our city, in the wake of the storm, cannot be understated.
In that light, we want to thank each and every one of you who supported our election reform efforts and voted in favor of moving Hoboken’s municipal elections from May to November. Voters recognized the importance of reforming Hoboken’s electoral system and spoke in overwhelming numbers at the polls. Thanks to your support, the next Hoboken municipal elections will take place on a single day — election day in November, a day which has historically been a high turnout day for Hoboken’s voters, resulting in fairer elections.
Because of your support, voters will never have another election season like 2009, when voters had to vote five times in eight months in order to make their voices heard. No longer will voters have to find extra time to vote on more Tuesdays than necessary. No longer will voters have to endure an election year with five rounds of nasty campaign literature filling our mailboxes, windshields and voicemail. No longer will taxpayers have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for extra, unnecessary elections.
This important electoral reform is yet another way Hoboken is moving away from the old days of political corruption, when Hoboken’s political leaders were most well-known for their criminal record, and not for their record of accomplishment. While bringing reform to our community is not easy, we have made it more convenient for Hoboken voters to make their voices heard at the polls, which is a very good thing for our city.
Once again, thank you for your support. We look forward to voting in the next municipal elections in November of 2013!
Sincerely,
The Vote Yes for November
Committee of Petitioners
Phil Cohen
Vijay Chadhuri
Sasha Conroy
David Dening
Eric Kurta