In less than two months, votes will be cast for the New Jersey General Assembly, the New Jersey Senate, and the Hoboken City Council. While all three of these legislative bodies play an essential role in the lives of Stevens students, the Hoboken City Council election might be of particular interest to students this year. Stevens will be hosting many of the events leading up to this election, and Stevens students are encouraged to participate in the civic process by casting their votes this November.
The Hoboken City Council consists of nine seats, with three at-large seats and six seats allocated to representatives from each of the six City wards. These elections are staggered, meaning only the six ward-based seats will be on the ballot this election cycle. Since Stevens is located within Ward 6, on-campus students are limited to voting in the election for this specific ward. The candidates for this election include Lauren Myers, Ian Rintel, and Jen Giattino, who is the incumbent councilor for this ward. In total, there are 14 candidates running for the six ward seats, and of these districts, only the 4th Ward election will be uncontested. While students can only vote in one of these ward elections, they still have many opportunities to engage in the civic process and learn more about each of the candidates.
To learn more about how Stevens students can participate in this upcoming election, The Stute spoke to Gregory Townsend, Senior Director of Corporate, Government, and Community Relations on campus. Townsend shared that the Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition has organized two candidate forums to be held in the UCC Tech Flex Auditorium on October 6 and October 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Candidates from wards 1, 3, and 5 will debate on the first night, and candidates from wards 2, 4, and 6 will debate on the second night. These forums will be moderated by John Heinis, Chief News Correspondent of the Hudson County View.
Townsend encouraged students to do more than just attend debates as he emphasized the importance of student involvement in these elections. He shared that “Local elections – even in a City the size of Hoboken – can often be decided by hundreds of votes rather than thousands.” For students to participate in this election, they must ensure they qualify to vote, and that they have registered properly.
Students must register to vote by Tuesday, October 17 at the latest to ensure they can cast their ballots at the November 7 election. To qualify for voter registration, students must be United States citizens, be 18 or older by the day of the election, and have lived in the county for at least 30 days prior to the election day. The NJ state website contains information on how to register to vote, and voter registration is free.
In addition to voting in the election, students can get involved in the electoral process by becoming poll workers. Hudson County poll workers are paid $300 for a full shift, and more information can be found on the NJ state website. To encourage student voting, Stevens has organized a “Ducks to the Polls” event at 3:00 p.m. on November 1, where students who have registered to vote can walk with their peers from the UCC lobby to City Hall to cast mail-in ballots and celebrate democracy. Students do not need to be casting a mail-in ballot to participate in this event, and the event will conclude with Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Regardless of how strongly you may (or may not) feel about politics, your vote can have a profound impact on the future of both Stevens and the greater Hoboken community. Consider registering to vote, and ensure your voice is heard this election cycle. Happy voting!
