Quote:

Doesn't the political columnist (sorry, I forget his name) imply that McCann's people e-mailed her anonymous death threats?

If that's the case, I can't blame her for dropping out, especially because she has four vulnerable kids in the school system. But I would like to see someone prosecute whoever sent Garcia the death threats.

sounds to me she's just sick of the bullsh*t. i don't blame her. i'm probably naive, but not enough to know the old guy flipped his story after probably getting paid.

and i'm willing to start up a petition to kick this mccann out of jc. what the hell, he's like a bad toenail fungus.

I'm sure Ms. Garcia made out very nicely in this in the end. Does anybody really doubt that McCann paid her off?

Drops challenge to McCann victory

Wednesday, June 27, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Jenny Garcia, the fourth-place finisher in Jersey City's April school board race, has dropped her court challenge of ex-mayor Gerald McCann's successful bid to sit on the school board.

McCann beat out Garcia for the third board seat by 21 votes.

Garcia challenged McCann's victory on grounds he "coerced" nearly 300 "incompetent or otherwise elderly and ill" residents at four nursing homes to vote for him using absentee ballots.

"This whole case has lost sight of what I initially ran for, which was to focus on the children of Jersey City and their needs," Garcia said yesterday, explaining why she dropped her case on Monday.

"I'm just a mom," added Garcia, a School 28 parent and mother of four special needs students. "I don't need any more stress in my life."

In recent weeks, McCann had been working up a vigorous defense, even producing evidence that other candidates in the race handled absentee ballots in violation of state law and hadn't complied with campaign disclosure laws.

Also, one of Garcia's key witnesses flipped.

Carl Czaplicki Sr., a resident of Newport Nursing Home in Greenville, had submitted a court affidavit stating McCann came to his room holding his absentee ballot, an election no-no.

But in a subsequent deposition with McCann and his attorney present, Czaplicki Sr. switched and said McCann never handled his ballot. Czaplicki Sr. is the father of Carl Czaplicki Jr., chief-of-staff for Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, one of McCann's political opponents.

New twist in McCann election controversy
Dad of Healy's top aide: Gerry didn't touch absentee ballot

Saturday, June 09, 2007

By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A key figure in the absentee ballot manipulation case against former Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann has changed his tune.

Last month, Carl Czaplicki Sr., a resident of Newport Nursing Home in the Greenville section of the city, signed a certification submitted to a state Superior Court judge stating that McCann came to his room holding Czaplicki's absentee ballot for the April school board election in his hand - an election no-no.

But McCann - who eked out a 21-vote victory for a local school board seat over fourth-place finisher Jenny Garcia - insists he never touched the actual ballot.

And on Thursday, as part of a 31/2-hour deposition conducted with Czaplicki at the nursing home, he agreed with the former two-term mayor, according to McCann, who was present for the deposition. Czaplicki also met with The Jersey Journal yesterday and told a reporter the same thing.

Czaplicki is the father of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah's chief of staff, Carl Czaplicki, Jr.

According to the senior Czaplicki's latest recollection, McCann was standing in the hallway when a person working with McCann came into his room and he sat down and filled out the ballot application.

"A woman gave me the ballot," said Czaplicki, 66, who has lived at the nursing home for six years. "I never saw McCann holding an absentee ballot."

Christopher Welgos, the attorney representing Garcia, was also present for the deposition and said yesterday he could neither confirm nor deny McCann's description of what transpired Thursday.

Garcia has accused McCann of duping nearly 300 "incompetent or otherwise elderly and ill" residents at four nursing homes to vote for him.

Czaplicki Jr. acknowledged yesterday that he put his father up to signing the court-submitted certification - which he still believes is accurate - and was with him when he signed it.

Czaplicki Jr. called McCann a "senior predator" and predicted the courts would ultimately void his election.

McCann has previously called Czaplicki a "selfish son" who never visits his dad.

The case resumes before Judge Maurice Gallipoli on June 18.

McCann case judge OK's seniors quiz

Saturday, June 02, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The challenge to former Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann's election to the school board inched along yesterday as a state Superior Court judge ordered nursing homes to open their doors to investigators working for McCann's challenger and declined McCann's request to issue subpoenas to the teachers union.

McCann's 21-vote victory in the April 17 election is being challenged by fourth-place finisher Jenny Garcia, who contends McCann "coerced . incompetent or otherwise elderly and ill" residents at four nursing homes to vote for him.

Judge Maurice J. Gallipoli gave Garcia permission to send representatives to four nursing homes that generated 216 absentee ballots where McCann acknowledges he helped residents fill out ballot applications.

The goal is to determine if the residents knew what they were doing when they filled out the applications or were assisted in filling out the actual ballots.

Shannon Garrahan, an attorney representing two of the nursing homes - Hamilton Park Health Care Center and the Atrium at Hamilton Park - sought clarification via a conference call with Gallipoli on how the interviews would work. Garrahan said she did not want the residents "interrogated."

"I want this investigation done as completely and quickly as possible. Make it happen," Gallipoli told her.

Gallipoli agreed to have a social worker accompany Garcia's representatives as they approached people.

Also in play are 112 absentee ballots county officials decided not to count on April 17. Mark Curtis, McCann's attorney, said he plans to argue dozens of these ballots are valid.

McCann has also been seeking to prove that the Jersey City Education Association invested more than $1,000 in Garcia's candidacy, which would have required her to file a financial disclosure statement with the state's Elections Law Enforcement Commission - something she acknowledged she didn't.

But Gallipoli quashed the subpoenas, saying he wanted to stay focused on counting absentee ballots.

The case will resume June 18.

June 18 trial date is set for suit targeting McCann ed board win

Wednesday, May 23, 2007
By GREG HANLON
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The challenge to former Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann's election to the city's school board is scheduled to go to trial on June 18 in Hudson County Superior Court.

Jenny Garcia, who lost to McCann by 21 votes for the third open seat on the school board, is alleging that McCann violated the law by coercing some of 216 people at four nursing homes to vote for him on absentee ballots.

McCann acknowledges that he helped people apply for absentee ballots, but says he never handled the ballots himself.

The parties met yesterday in the courtroom of state Superior Judge Maurice Gallipoli, where McCann's attorney, Mark C. Curtis, presented a list of counterclaims against Garcia.

One counterclaim challenged Garcia's eligibility to run for school board on the grounds that she is not a citizen. The claim was based on McCann's recollection of her saying she was born in the Dominican Republic during a previous political campaign.

But this claim was swiftly debunked when Garcia's lawyer, Christopher Welgos, produced a birth certificate showing that Garcia was born in New York City.

McCann also alleged that Garcia violated election law by not filing expense reports with the state and that the 88 absentee ballots that were deemed ineligible should be counted for McCann. Curtis said this "would increase the plaintiff's burden of proof regarding ballots."

Welgos said he would respond to those claims during the trial.

McCann is also claiming that Garcia is illegally targeting nursing homes in her attempt to discredit ballots, citing that 77 percent of the ballots she challenged came from nursing homes.

Welgos responded by saying, "The reason the nursing homes became an issue is because Mr. McCann made them an issue."

McCann's spot on school board challenged
Fourth-place finisher wins right to have complaint heard

Ricardo Kaulessar
Reporter staff writer 05/11/2007

Former Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann's triumphant return to elected office is going to be challenged in court.

On Tuesday, State Superior Court Judge Maurice Gallipoli ruled that a complaint by mother-of-four Jenny Garcia, the fourth place finisher in the April 17 Board of Education election, can go forward.

Garcia lost by 21 votes in the April 17 Board of Education election to McCann, the former mayor. McCann has spent time in prison due to business deals unrelated to the office of mayor.

Garcia's complaint, filed on April 30, challenges the validity of 216 absentee ballots cast for McCann at four Jersey City nursing homes. In the complaint, Garcia, through her attorney, Christopher Welgos, alleges that McCann "coerced" elderly residents into filling out the absentee ballots that were "incompetent or otherwise elderly and ill" or assisted them in filling out the ballots.

The complaint also alleges that McCann physically handled the ballots during the process of getting them to the voters, which he should not have done.

An absentee ballot allows a voter to vote by mail.

The complaint calls for voiding the absentee ballots, a recount of the votes for Garcia and McCann, and the removal of McCann from the board, with Garcia talking over for him.

McCann's attorney, Mark Curtis, sought on Tuesday to have the complaint dismissed and argued in court that it was an "unconstitutional" attack on the elderly. Curtis also claimed that Garcia's attorney had not done any research that would justify the complaint.

But Gallipoli would have none of that.

Instead, he scheduled a hearing on May 22 in his courtroom to hear more on the complaint.

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to think that Mr. McCann illegally helped fill out their ballots," Gallipoli said.

Arguing the case

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Curtis gave arguments first during the hearing, where he pointed out that Garcia's attorney was not challenging all absentee ballots cast, but rather the ones cast in the nursing home. He also pointed out that the elderly residents in these homes are for most part competent and aware, and used to candidates campaigning in their residences.

"The voters in these four nursing homes are constantly being interrupted and inconvenienced during these contests," Curtis said.

But Gallipoli asked Curtis, "Do you really think that these people are going to through the trouble...to fill out absentee ballots for a school board election?"

Curtis also said that the NJ attorney general should have the present at the hearing because would buttress the argument that nursing home residents are competent. But Gallipoli dismissed the argument.

Curtis also argued that McCann did not solicit nor handle the actual ballots.

At one point in the argument, Curtis tried to get Gallipoli's sympathy by saying he "appreciated" that Gallipoli was upset that the complaint was being heard in his courtroom, to which Gallipoli countered, "I'm not upset," which elicited laughs.

Garcia's attorney, Welgos, then gave his argument claiming that the "residents were incompetent."

He said there should be a discovery process, which is a pre-trial phase in a court case in which each party can obtain information and facts and gather evidence.

Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com

City Hall aide doing grunt work for anti-McCann suit
Friday, May 11, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Adding juice to the theory that Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy is behind a court challenge to former Jersey City mayor Gerald McCann's election to the school board, a City Hall aide spent yesterday at the Board of Elections copying absentee ballot certificates on behalf of the plaintiff against McCann.

Ivan Freire - a $27,000-a-year research aide hired by the city last June - was at the board representing Jenny Garcia, who lost to McCann by 21 votes on April 17 for the third open seat on the board.

Represented by a firm with close ties to Healy and the Hudson County Democratic Organization, Garcia is challenging the election on the grounds McCann illegally "coerced . incompetent or otherwise elderly and ill" residents at the nursing home to vote for him using absentee ballots.

Asked by a reporter what he was doing, Freire said, "I'm just helping out." Freire refused to identify who he was "helping out." He added he wasn't getting paid and had taken the day off from work.

City Hall spokesman Stan H. Eason said the firm representing Garcia - Schwartz, Simon, Edelstein, Celso and Kessler of Florham Park - "reached out to City Hall officials and asked if there was anyone available."

It was mere coincidence Freire's assignment pertained to the Garcia/McCann matter since the law firm has often called City Hall looking for help, according to Eason.

McCann has said he is convinced Healy has a "political vendetta" against him because Healy blames him for naked pictures of the mayor sitting on his stoop that surfaced during the 2005 mayoral contest.

"He blames me for something I had nothing do with," said McCann, who was also at the Board of Elections. "At least now the judge and everyone knows this is a political battle."

Garcia didn't return phone calls to comment. Garcia has said Stephen Edelstein, a principal in the firm, called her and offered his services for free. Neither Edelstein, nor Healy, returned phone calls seeking comment.

The court case resumes May 22, at 1:30 p.m., before Assignment Judge Maurice Gallipoli.

GO JENNY!

Defeated candidate's suit against McCann to be aired

Wednesday, May 09, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The challenge to former Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann's election to the school board remained alive yesterday as a Hudson County judge decided he wanted to hear more about how McCann allegedly "coerced . incompetent or otherwise elderly and ill" residents to vote for him.

After hearing arguments from McCann's attorney and an attorney representing the plaintiff, Jenny Garcia - who McCann trumped by 21 votes on April 17 to snag the third seat up for grabs - Hudson County Assignment Judge Maurice Gallipoli decided the complaint couldn't be dismissed.

The allegation is that McCann coerced some of the 216 people at four nursing homes where McCann acknowledges he helped people apply for absentee ballots.

McCann says he never handled the actual ballots or played any role in helping people fill them out, which would be illegal.

But Carl Czaplicki Sr., a resident at Newport Nursing Home, said in a written certification submitted to the court that McCann did handle a ballot.

Czaplicki Sr. - the father of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy's chief of staff, Carl Czaplicki Jr. - said in the certification that McCann came to his room with the absentee ballot in his hand and offered to help fill it out.

Czaplicki Sr. stated he told McCann his son would help with the ballot and McCann left. But shortly after that, a woman named Patty Lynch, who said she had gone to school with Carl Jr., entered his room and he allowed her to help him fill out the ballot, according to the statement.

Czaplicki Sr. states he filled out the ballot without voting for anyone.

Czaplicki Jr. has previously said his father is "mentally impaired."

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to think that Mr. McCann illegally helped fill out their ballots," Gallipoli said, in dismissing McCann's request that the case be dismissed.

The parties were told they have to appear again before Gallipoli on May 22 at 1:30 p.m.

McCann and his attorney, Mark C. Curtis, insist the case amounts to an attack on the constitutional rights of the elderly and ill.

"Mr. McCann has done nothing but help promote democracy," said Curtis, citing a 2000 case in which a state appellate panel decided that even at a psychiatric center, voters could not be assumed to be incompetent.

McCann said the case is fueled by a vendetta Healy has against him and that the mayor is financing the case, which Healy representatives have denied.

Garcia's attorney, Christopher Welgos, is a member of the Florham Park law firm Schwartz, Simon, Edelstein - which has long ties to the Hudson County Democratic Organization and which performs legal work for the city and the county.

Garcia acknowledged she's not paying her attorney. Stephen J. Edelstein, a principal in the firm, called her and told her he just wanted to help, she said. Welgos referred all questions about who's paying the legal bills to Edelstein, who didn't return phone calls to comment.

If 21 absentee voters from the four nursing homes can be proved incompetent, then a new election between McCann and Garcia should be ordered, Welgos said.

BOE certifies McCann as victor

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Last week's school board election results were certified by Hudson County's four governor-appointed Board of Elections commissioners.

In the county's closest school board contest, former Jersey City mayor Gerald McCann beat School 28 parent Jenny Garcia by 21 votes for the third open seat - 1,476 votes to 1,455.

McCann won on the strength of 283 votes he drew from three nursing homes. Garcia has said she may challenge the results, but she hasn't returned phone calls for comment.

KEN THORBOURNE

What a novel idea!

Get candidate reps out and door knock votes during election time - help them (residents) make those postal votes etc and even post it for them. They can help out also by carrying all the necessary forms.

If the person they door knock wants to vote for the other candidates, they simply throw them away or go to the next house and ignore them - the precedent has been set - or has it?

McCann win target of suit

Wednesday, May 02, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Not so fast, Gerald McCann.

Jenny Garcia, the fourth-place finisher in last week's school board election, is challenging the certified results of last week's contest, which has the former Jersey City mayor beating her out for the third spot on the board by 21 votes.

In a lawsuit filed Monday - the day McCann was sworn in for a three-year term - Garcia alleges that McCann "coerced . incompetent or otherwise elderly and ill" residents at four nursing homes to fill out and sign absentee ballots and absentee ballot applications.

Neither Garcia, nor her attorney Christopher Wells - of the politically connected Florham Park firm Schwartz, Simon, and Edelstein - returned phone calls yesterday to elaborate on the documents filed in court.

McCann, who's acknowledged helping several hundred nursing home residents apply for absentee ballots, called the lawsuit an unfair attack on the elderly and infirm.

"For her (Garcia) to say because they are elderly and ill they are incompetent . well, that's going to end her political career quickly," McCann said. "You can't challenge an entire building. That's called discrimination."

McCann also said he's been told Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy is picking up the tab for Garcia's lawsuit. The reason: Healy still bears a grudge for the naked pictures of Healy sitting on his front stoop that surfaced during the 2005 mayoral contest, McCann said.

"It goes right back to Jerry Healy running around nude," McCann said.

City spokesman Stan H. Eason said yesterday neither the mayor nor his chief of staff Carl Czaplicki were footing the bill for Garcia's lawsuit.

Czaplicki was angered last week that McCann helped his father, who Czaplicki described as "mentally impaired," fill out an absentee ballot application at one of the nursing homes.

The Jersey City Education Association backed Garcia, Terry Dehere and Angel Valentin in last week's election. Dehere and Valentin both won.

Tom Favia, president of the teacher's union, said yesterday the JCEA has nothing to do with Garcia's lawsuit.

The case is scheduled to be heard next Tuesday before Superior Court Assignment Judge Maurice J. Gallipoli.

School vote certification seen today

Jersey Journal - April 24

The final results of last week's school board elections are expected to be certified today, election officials said yesterday.

The numbers posted on the Hudson County Clerk Office's Web site aren't expected to change, but the county Board of Elections' four commissioners have to send the clerk a certification letter for them to be official, officials said.

The four commissioners - two Republicans and two Democrats - are recommended by the two local party chairs - state Sen. Bernard Kenny, D-Hoboken, for the Democrats, and city employee Jose Arango for the Republicans.

Former Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann squeaked into the third open seat on the Jersey City school board on the strength of absentee ballots he played a role in applying for at three nursing homes.

With absentee and provisional ballots counted, McCann bested fourth-place finisher Jenny Garcia by 21 votes.

Garcia said she might challenge the election results.

Carl Czaplicki, chief of staff for Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, said he might join Garcia because McCann helped his father, a resident at one of the nursing homes, apply for an absentee ballot even though his father is "mentally impaired."

KEN THORBOURNE

It was pretty depressing to receive in the Saturday, April 21 mail, a color tri-fold direct mail piece for Lopez's JCBOE candidacy. Wonder how much money went down the tube for that move...

The guy has no morals and without fcuking shame. Now that the felon is in, he will take-over and bully his way to what he wants to see happen in Education. He will look after his buddies with horse shit contracts and positions within the education system and cement his way back into JC politics. Its a fcuking disgrace and more then likely he will run for Mayor if he gets the change.
I misguided my faith that the new 'yuppie' and non 'yuppie' enlighten residents of JC would vote in mass and create change, but it seems that they are (not all) lazy, dis-interested, ignorant and self absorbed like most of long term residents.

This 'win' by McCann might not have occurred if voting was compulsory. One can only surmise that politicians expect and hope for poor voter turnouts to scheme a legal, but unethical way of winning such an important role in education.
I credit McCann on his first achievement - He has taught all the voting residents of Jersey City the importance of voting and how to manipulate the system for their own gain.

With his criminal record, it is obvious that his character trait of being deceptive and opportunistic will never change. I strongly believe and agree with a few others, that a person with a criminal record (felony offenses) be void from applying for any public office.

My mother worked for over 20 years in a home for the aged mentally handicapped (meaning they had mental incapabilities all their lives and were now elderly). This was in Atlantic City, NJ. The politicians were always "helping" the residents to fill out ballots.

If this is something new in Hudson County than we have to claim our politicians very slow on the up take... however, be impressed that these voters are actually lving and not voting from the grave.

Another way to look at this is that crooked politicians with big egos are much more likely to rat out and expose each other .

Althea

Quote:

Politics is a dirty business, but it ain't just Jersey City:

John McCain's illegitimite black daughter

Swift boating

Barack Obama went to a radical muslim school

Cory Booker is gay, white, and Jewish

The "powers of control" are the voters - if more of us had turned out, McCann's tactics would be viewed as pathetic.

Instead, campaigns all over the country are probably analyzing it for effectiveness going into November.

Quote:

Just another example of Jersey City politics - It's just a fcuking disgrace that siht like this can happen and the powers of control are as useless as a bull with tits!

McCANN 'NURSED' TO A WIN
Credits absentee votes from senior homes
Saturday, April 21, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Former Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann apparently can credit the infirm and institutionalized for his victory in the school board election.

When voting ended Tuesday night, McCann trailed School 28 parent Jenny Garcia for the third open seat by 53 votes.

But when absentee and provisional ballots were added in, McCann pulled ahead by 21 votes, according to results released yesterday by elections officials. The vote is expected to be certified Monday.

McCann acknowledges the bulk of his 283 absentee ballot votes likely came from three nursing homes where he helped residents fill out absentee ballot applications: Harbor View Health Care Center on Ogden Avenue, Newport Nursing & Rehabilitation Center on Stevens Avenue and Hamilton Park Health Care Center on Monmouth Street.

One of the people McCann likely helped to fill out an absentee ballot application was Carl S. Czaplicki, the father of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy's chief of staff, Carl Czaplicki Jr.

Healy is a political enemy of McCann's and is supporting Sandra Bolden Cunningham in the 31st District state Senate contest against McCann ally Assemblyman Lou Manzo.

Czaplicki Jr. said yesterday that his father is "mentally impaired" and that he told McCann to stay away from him.

"My father has mental issues," Czaplicki Jr. said. "Gerry couldn't be certain that people with their full faculties would vote for him, so this must be his new strategy."

McCann, who denied that Czaplicki Jr. told him to stay away, shot back that Czaplicki Jr. is a "selfish son" who never visits his father.

"On July 11 last year, you ask Carl Czaplicki (Jr.) where he was," McCann fumed. "I was at the nursing home wishing his father a happy birthday. He should love his father, not take advantage of his father for his own political gain."

Garcia said yesterday she might challenge the election in court and Czaplicki Jr. said he might join in. Garcia has until May 2 to challenge the election in court, officials said.

McCann's assistance in filling out the applications could become an issue.

In March, Deputy Attorney General Donna Kelly sent a memo to all boards of elections statewide stating that candidates cannot assist voters in filling out applications for absentee ballots.

But when this issue arose on election night, Michael Harper, clerk to the Superintendent of Elections, said he consulted with two deputy attorneys general, who told him it was all right to count the lion's share of the McCann-assisted ballots, since he helped these voters fill out the application before he declared his candidacy for school board.

COMEBACK KID
Provisional, absentee ballots give McCann school seat
Thursday, April 19, 2007
By COTTON DELO
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Former Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann has pulled ahead in the city's school board election thanks to absentee and provisional ballots, making him the third of three winners.

The voting machine count on Tuesday night, with 99 percent of districts reporting, showed School 28 parent Jenny Garcia leading McCann by a slim margin, 1,229 to 1,176. But the 661 absentee ballots and 48 provisional ballots deemed valid by Hudson County elections officials determined the final result yesterday.

The final tally has McCann ahead of Garcia, 1,476 to 1,455 - a margin of just 21 votes. It will be certified by the Hudson County clerk today or tomorrow, according to county Board of Elections clerk Michael Harper.

McCann joins former St. Anthony High School and NBA basketball star Terry Dehere and incumbent Angel Valentin as Tuesday's winners.

Garcia said last night she will challenge the result.

Along with Valentin and Dehere, Garcia was on the slate of candidates backed by the teachers union, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy and County Executive Tom DeGise.

In contrast to the union's sizable war chest, McCann - who was mayor from 1981 to 1985 and then again from 1989 to 1992, when he was removed due to federal fraud and tax evasion convictions for crimes unrelated to his office - says he spent only $480 on his campaign.

"When you run a big-time campaign, you have to go out and raise money, and I never wanted to be dependent on people that I would owe something to if I was elected," said McCann.

He attributed his victory to opposition by the union, which he thinks produced a backlash and helped his cause.

"They spent a lot of money to defeat me, which just angered me and made me work harder," he said.

COTTON DELO can be reached at cdelo@jjournal.com.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

McCann pulls ahead in wild school board race
Former Jersey City Mayor and local lightning rod Gerald McCann has pulled ahead in the school board election thanks to absentee ballots, putting him as the third of three winners, election officials just told The Jersey Journal.

If the current count stands, McCann, former basketball star Terry Dehere and incumbent Angel Valentin will be the three electees to the board.

According to Michael Harper, clerk of the Hudson County Board of Elections, 773 ballots were counted after Jersey Journal presstime last night, and 112 were rejected.

In the tally of the 661 valid ballots, McCann garnered 283 extra votes, Valentin had 211, Moses Ballon, Jr. had 34, Jenny Garcia had 205, Benjamin Lopez had 81, Aida Sanchez had 31, Michael Esposito had 164, William Frasca had 31, Dehere had 239, Jenny Campbell had 54 and Arnold Williams had 81.

If the count stands, McCann would have collected 25 more votes than Garcia -- he presumptive third board member -- at this stage.

Fifty-one provisional ballots will be reviewed and counted later this afternoon when Harper meets with commissioners.

Stay tuned to Jersey Journal Now for more results in the topsy-turvy election.

Cotton Delo

I really don't understand how everyone is calling this election without A22 votes being counted or the absentee and provential ballots. I know it is most likely that these three candidates won, but I really feel all the votes should be counted first.

Althea

looking forward .....

In Hoboken, voter turnout was about 1/3 of registered voters and the "reform" - "independent" slate won three of four seats. The Hoboken school board elections saw some initial reform in the early 90's.

If Hoboken is finally turning the corner (will have to see with this spring's municipal elections) after 20 years or so of false starts, maybe we will see seeds of change and improvement over the next ten years here in JC.

As per Sue Mack's post, there will be a coming election to determine whether the school board will continue to be elected or appointed. A lot to think about. Given poor turnout, a reform coalition, if it dragged out a couple thousand votes, could succeed in a election, but I wonder for how long - before the stalwarts would be re-organized in the next election.

This election saw Healy and DeGise's endorsed slate win, if it was more hotly contested would they have been out in more of a force?

Putting the board under the mayor, with the history of our public boards with few exceptions, I find depressing ... its like admitting that democracy cannot work in Jersey City.


Quote:

VOTE GOES DOWN TO THE WIRE

Wednesday, April 18, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The slate of candidates for the Jersey City school board that was backed by the teachers union and the mayor appeared to have pulled out the victory in last night's election, with 99 percent of districts reporting and without absentee ballots or provisional votes.

Former St. Anthony High School and NBA hoops star Terry Dehere was among the winners, with 1,326 votes; Angel Valentin, the only incumbent who ran for re-election, picked up the most votes, with 1,376; and School 28 parent Jenny Garcia got 1,229.

Valentin was the clear winner early, but the battle for the second and third spots was a nerve-jangling, back-and-forth contest all night, with former Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann running a close fourth, picking up 1,176.

Valentin, Garcia and Dehere were all backed by the union, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy and County Executive Tom DeGise.

Valentin, who has two children attending Jersey City public schools, credited his win to hard work.

"You have to go out there and . and campaign and let people know the importance of voting," said Valentin. "I was out there in Laundromats, the Roberto Clemente league, everywhere."

At about 10:30 p.m., Garcia said she was still "praying and trying to take a deep breath."

Noting her four learning disabled children, Garcia said she hoped the vote would be a vote for special education parents across the city.

It's been 15 years since McCann held elected office.

He served as mayor from 1981 to 1985 and then again from 1989 to 1992, when he was removed due to 1991 federal fraud and tax evasion convictions for crimes unrelated to his time in office.

He campaigned on the premise that good teachers are forced to leave the classroom because that's the only way they make more money. McCann had said he would try to institute merit pay in the system.

One voter at School 11 yesterday afternoon, Bill Horan Sr., said he voted for McCann, Dehere, and Hudson Gardens public housing tenant Michael Esposito.

Questioned about his McCann vote, Horan said, "He's a Jersey City person through his ups and downs. He never left us. There's such a thing as forgiveness."

Just to point out, with a rough population estimate of 250,000 (i know i'm off, but if anything i'm underestimating i think), the voter turnout for the school board elections is less than 4%. Unless McCann pulls a ridiculous number of absentees out of his hat (which he's the master of).

As much as the idea of democratically electing our school board sounds all warm and fuzzy, with so much at stake and this embarassingly low turnout, the system simply does not work.

While the 4% of the population that elects these three can try to hold them accountable for their actions three years from now, this accountability is a paper tiger. It is accountability that the other elected officials in this city, namely the Mayor and the City Council, are more than happy to not have on their shoulders.

It's a crappy system. Meh.

Siht, there is a better 'turn-out' at the local church bingo night, then the people voting on this important issue.

Board of Education - Jersey City
110/111 99.10%
Under Votes 1459
Over Votes 0

Vote Count
- Angel Valentin 1,376
- Moses M. Ballon, Jr. 509
- Jenny Garcia 1,229
- Benjamin Lopez 766
- Aida Sanchez 354
- Michael Esposito 768
- Gerald McCann 1,176
- William P. Frasca 252
- L. Terry Dehere 1,326
- Jenny E. Campbell 477
- Arnold Williams 440
Personal Choice 29
Total 8,702