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I agree. The Democratic machine in Hudson County is despicable.

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What we have is a classic "one party state" with no strong opposition to keep them honest. The fact that it's Dem is more sad than anything else. I grew up in Nassau County when it was a GOP one party. You couldn't get a cabana at the beach if you weren't "of the party". The difference between Al D'Amato and Healy: Nothing.

who cares?

thankfully we got a strong dem party presence in this county

what do you want? rethuglicans?

Only 18 percent of Jersey City's registered voters turned out for last week's special election

Tuesday, November 15, 2011, 6:39 PM
By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal

Voter turnout for Jersey City?s special election last week was an abysmal 18 percent, according to final results from the Hudson County Clerk?s Office.

That?s even lower than the roughly 20 percent of the city?s 153,416 registered voters who took part in the 2009 city election. The number of registered voters this year is down about 30,000 from then, according to the clerk?s office.

Turnout was highest ? around 19 percent ? in Ward A, the heart of second-place finisher Rolando Lavarro?s base. In District 30, near New Jersey City University, where Lavarro works in the grants office, turnout was 31 percent.

Lavarro and his running mate, Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson, were the winners of the race, in which 17 candidates vied for two at-large vacancies on the council.

Ward B saw the lowest turnout, at 15 percent. In that ward's District 25, where voters cast their ballots at School 39 near Lincoln Park, turnout was only 5.5 percent, with only 17 of its 309 registered voters casting ballot.

That was one of only four city districts where turnout didn?t break 10 percent. District 32 in Ward F, which votes at the Halladay Street fire station, saw zero of its nine registered voters turn out.

In all, only 21,648 of the city's 121,589 registered voters cast ballots in last week's election.

John Weingart, associate director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, said poor voter turnout is the general rule in races where a presidential race or other federal race is not at the top of the ballot. In last week?s election, the highest office up for grabs was state senator.

Low voter turnout is also a result of New Jersey?s decision to hold numerous elections per year.

?I think it is that there are so many offices,? he said. ?We have so many jurisdictions, so many local governments ? it?s a lot to keep track of.?

It?s also more difficult for voters to know what the issues are in local elections, Weingart said, comparing them to national races where months, if not years, are spent discussing issues that divide Democrats and Republicans.

?They're just harder to judge from a voter?s perspective,? he said. ?It?s not as easy as saying, ?I agree with their policy on tax reform.??