HOBOKEN — Another set of anonymous “midnight flyers” has graced car windshields in Hoboken, and this time they’re related to the upcoming November school board election.
Midnight flyers are unsigned campaign materials that are left on cars or slipped under doors overnight, often to prevent scrutiny and often just before an election. New Jersey election law says that campaign advertisements must say on the materials who paid for them, and these did not.
Often in Hoboken, the flyers try to scare people into believing they’ll lose their apartments if a certain candidate is elected. Yet, these were different.
This morning, the photocopied flyers were found under the windshield wipers of parked cars. The flyers take aim at the “Kids First” school board slate that is allied with Mayor Dawn Zimmer in the upcoming election for three seats on the nine-member board.
The flyers specifically depict a local blogger whom they say is associated with that slate. The slate opposing Kids First is “Move Forward.” Move Forward campaign co-chairman John Castellano said Thursday morning that his slate is not behind the illicit flyers.
He said several people had sent him photos from their cell phones.
“I’ve only seen a snapshot of the flier,” he said. “I have not seen the whole thing. My candidates are not behind them and in my personal opinion I don’t find [fliers] to be an effective way to campaign. I don’t feel they sway or turn on voters and we will not be using them.”
This is the second time in recent weeks that “mindight flyers” were used to make a political point. See our previous story here.
Who’s running for office in this election? See our story that ran this weekend, here.
Keep following hudsonreporter.com for breaking news, and read the weekly paper for more detailed election coverage.
Comment below.