Hoboken Election: Council Defends Seats, Unofficial Results Say

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken residents headed to the polls for the 2019 general election on Tuesday, Nov. 5. In addition to statehouse and county races, voters chose representatives on the local city council and a pair of public questions involving open space funding.

Hoboken residents also voted on school board representatives. See the board of education results.

Polls were open in New Jersey from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check back here for updated election results or sign up for Patch email newsletters.

HOBOKEN CITY COUNCIL

There were six seats on the Hoboken City Council up for grabs in 2019.

A slate backed by Mayor Ravi Bhalla apparently came up short, with every council incumbent successfully defending their seat, according to unofficial results from the Hudson County Clerk's Office.

The only new face on the council will be Phil Cohen, who triumphed in the 5th ward, according to unofficial results.

With 100 percent of the districts reported, the unofficial results are:

1ST WARD

• Michael DeFusco - 844 (66.14%)
• Migdalia Pagan-Milano - 430 (33.7%)

2ND WARD

• Tiffanie Fisher - 872 (53.4%)
• Nora Martínez DeBenedetto - 760 (46.54%)

3RD WARD

• Ronald Bautista - 408 (32.38%)
• Michael Russo - 846 (67.14%)

4TH WARD

• Ruben Ramos Jr - 623 (61.62%)
• Lisa Sprengle - 387 (38.28%)

5TH WARD

• Phil Cohen - 794 (52.03%)
• Timothy Crowell - 392 (25.69%)
• Nicola Maganuco - 334 (21.89%)

6TH WARD

• Cristin Cricco Powell - 546 (44.5%)
• Jennifer Giattino - 633 (51.59%)
• Frank Rosner - 48 (3.91%)

All of the incumbent council members up for reelection were on the ballot, except for Peter Cunningham in the 5th Ward, who said he passed on a fourth term to devote more time to his professional and personal life.

Five of the challengers – Migdalia Pagan-Milano, Nora Martínez DeBenedetto, Lisa Sprengle, Phil Cohen and Cristin Cricco Powell – ran on a slate backed by Mayor Ravi Bhalla.

In the city’s 1st ward, council member Michael DeFusco, a media professional who has served on the city's Zoning Board of Adjustment, ran against Migdalia Pagan-Milano, a lifelong city resident who works for the city's Constituent Affairs department.

• Learn more about DeFusco's campaign
• Learn more about Pagan-Milano's campaign

In the city’s 2nd ward, council member Tiffanie Fisher, a real estate and finance professional, ran against Nora Martínez DeBenedetto, a local teacher and coordinator of the city's Art in the Park program.

• Learn more about Fisher's campaign
• Learn more about DeBenedetto's campaign

In the city’s 3rd ward, council member Michael Russo, a practicing physical therapist who has served on the city Zoning Board of Adjustment, ran against Ronald Bautista, a local activist and former mayoral candidate.

• Learn more about Russo's campaign
• Learn more about Bautista's campaign

In the city’s 4th ward, council member Ruben Ramos Jr., an educator in Paterson and former New Jersey state assemblyman, ran against Lisa Sprengle, an attorney and accountant.

• Learn more about Ramos' qualifications
• Learn more about Sprengle's campaign

In the city’s 5th ward, Phil Cohen, an attorney and longtime community activist, is running against Timothy Crowell, a real estate professional who has received an endorsement from outgoing councilman Peter Cunningham. The race also includes Nicola Maganuco, a finance professional who founded the @HobokenCommuter Twitter account.

• Learn more about Cohen's campaign
• Learn more about Crowell's campaign
• Learn more about Maganuco's campaign

In the city’s 6th ward, council member Jennifer Giattino, a real estate and business professional who currently serves as council president, is running against Cristin Cricco Powell, an executive producer and director of TV shows and documentaries, and Frank Rosner, a finance executive and co-founder of the Elysian Charter School.

• Learn more about Giattino's campaign
• Learn more about Cricco Powell's campaign
• Learn more about Rosner's campaign

PUBLIC QUESTIONS ON OPEN SPACE

Hoboken residents also voted "yes" or "no" on two public questions involving open space funds.

Voters in the Mile Square City overwhelmingly chose "yes" for both questions, according to unofficial results from the Hudson County Clerk’s Office.

With 98 percent of the districts reported, the unofficial results are:

MUNICIPAL QUESTION #1

• YES – 4,820 (75.56%)
• NO - 1,559 (24.44%)

MUNICIPAL QUESTION #2

• YES – 4,202 (66.94%)
• NO - 2,075 (33.06%)

Municipal Question #1 reads:

"The City of Hoboken established the Municipal Open Space, Recreation and Conservation Trust Fund ("Trust Fund") by ordinance on January 1, 2008 following a referendum on November 6, 2007. A minimum of 75% of the annual amount raised by the Trust Fund is utilized for the acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, or the payment of debt service on indebtedness issued or incurred by the City of Hoboken for the acquisition of said lands. Shall the Trust Fund be amended so that a minimum of 75% of the amount raised by the Trust Fund be utilized for the acquisition or development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, and for the payment of debt service on indebtedness issued or incurred by the City of Hoboken for these purposes?"

Municipal Question #2 reads:

"The City of Hoboken established the Municipal Open Space, Recreation and Conservation Trust Fund ("Trust Fund") by ordinance on January 1, 2008 following a referendum on November 6, 2007, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:12-15.7, to be funded at a rate not to exceed $0.02 per $100.00 of the assessed value of real property. Shall the Trust Fund rate be increased from $0.02 to $0.03 per $100.00 of the assessed value of real property, and add historic preservation as an eligible purpose? Historic preservation is defined as preservation of historic properties, structures, facilities, sites, areas, or objects, and the acquisition of such properties, facilities, sites, areas, or objects for historic preservation purposes."

Prior to the election, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, Steven Zane – chairman of the Hoboken Historic Preservation Commission – and local nonprofit Fund for a Better Waterfront each came out in favor of a “yes” vote on the public questions.

• See related article: Vote Yes On Open Space, Hoboken Mayor And Groups Say

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