The Hudson County Board of Elections counted the remaining vote-by-mail and provisional ballots today in Jersey City and Hoboken, offering clarity in the December 2 runoff election for city council seats.
In Jersey City, Rolando Lavarro (16,862), Michael Griffin, (15,828), and Mamta Singh (15,520) – all members of mayoral candidate James Solomon’s slate – will face Tina Nalls (11,176), incumbent Daniel Rivera (11,100), and Meredith Burns (11,035).
Nalls ran with mayoral candidate Mussab Ali, Rivera ran with mayoral candidate Bill Odea — who now supports Solomon–– and Burns was on a ticket with former Gov. James E. McGreevey.
Burns edged out former Jersey City teachers’ union official Kristen Zadroga Hart, who ran with O’ Dea, by 352 votes – enough to likely withstand a recount. Nieves, on the McGreevey team, came in eighth, 343 votes behind Zadroga-Hart.
Four of the six ward council seats will face a runoff:
In Ward A, incumbent Denise Ridley (2,446) will face Brandi Warren (2,423). Pam Johnson finished third with 2,186 votes, 237 votes out of a runoff berth.
Joel Brooks (1,981), who ran on the O’Dea slate but not on his slogan, will face Efrain Orleans (1,756), a member of McGreeey’s slate, in Ward B. Idriss Heller (1,625) finished third, 126 votes out of second place; Heller ran with Ali.
Incumbent Richard Boggiano (2,184) will face Tom Zuppa (2,134) in a runoff in Ward C. Shahab Khan 2,033), who ran with Ali, finished third in a four-candidate field, 101 votes away from a runoff berth.
In Ward D, McGreevey ally Catherline Healy, the daughter of former Mayor Jeramiah Healy, was the top vote-getter with 2,342 votes; she will face Jake Ephros in the runoff. Ephros (2,095), who ran independently, finished 360 votes ahead of Team Ali candidate Patrick Ambrossi (1,735).
Vote-by-mail ballots are due to go out next week.
