The Place for Jersey City News
Log In / Register
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Jersey City Times
  • News
  • Food and Fun
    • Food And Drink
    • Performing Arts
    • Visual Arts
    • Other Fun Stuff
  • Education
  • Business
  • Neighborhoods
    • Downtown
      • News
      • Guide
    • Heights
      • News
      • Guide
    • Journal Square
      • News
      • Guide
    • Bergen Lafayette
      • News
      • Guide
    • Greenville
      • News
      • Guide
    • Westside
      • News
      • Guide
  • Opinion
  • Columns
    • Eye Level
    • Mamarama
  • Obituaries
  • Event Calendar
  • Support our Mission
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
Op Ed: This Petition Can Undo Jersey City’s New Undemocratic Ward Map

Op Ed: This Petition Can Undo Jersey City’s New Undemocratic Ward Map

Letter to the Editor
February 1, 2022/in header, Latest News, Narrate, Opinion, Uncategorized
by Letter to the Editor

By Elvin Dominici

The redrawing of Jersey City Municipal Ward Maps has brought to light increasing concerns in our diverse communities about discriminatory practices by city officials. We are hoping that these are not disturbing continuations of signals that the city officials are forcing out the minority residents of our beautiful city.

The ward maps, which were designed and approved by a commission made up of no individual of color, will have a major impact on the overall municipal electorate for the next ten years. We cannot accept the lack of transparency and public input for these newly drawn electoral maps, which do not reflect the diversity of our communities and promote the suppression of minority voters.

This level of lack of appreciation for input from the community is exactly what is wanted by the political machine that rules the city government. They would love nothing more than to segregate and ensure voter suppression for the future political elections by chopping large areas from Ward F and Ward E. This is not an accident as these are the wards that currently have independent, strong-willed council people who are not part of the control of Mayor Fulop.

The fact is this city government is trying to exclude newly elected Ward F Councilperson Frank Gilmore out of one main role the people elected him to be. The community knows that he will advocate for them and fight to include the voice of the people as it pertains to three controversial projects currently in his ward: SciTech in Liberty State Park (which has zero affordable housing designated), the privatization of more areas of Liberty State Park, and the proposed 17-story building development adjacent to Berry Lane Park, which also does not include affordable housing.

This was not solely a systemic review of the boundaries as it pertains to the census. This was a calculated measure by Mayor Fulop to limit the voices of minority residents in Ward F who came out vociferously against him during the most recent mayoral election. Remember that Fulop’s challenger, Lewis Spears, only announced his candidacy four months before election day. Within a small window of time, and with a limited amount of funding resources (compared to that of the political machine), the people of Ward F backed Mr. Spears by a count of 3,650 votes to 3,640 for Fulop. Fulop’s “thank you” to the residents is cutting them out of important decisions that impact their daily lives and basically silencing their voices to try and remove the independent voice of Frank Gilmore within the ward.

The lack of democracy in the process of redrawing Jersey City wards is an embarrassment. The fact that hundreds of concerned residents came out to speak at a public meeting held on a Saturday morning speaks volumes to the concerns in the community about limiting the voting rights to minority residents in our city. Even with this, the commission, which does not include any person of color who lives in Jersey City, moved forward with their proposed maps by voting for it 6–0. It is important to note that two of Fulop’s representatives on the commission, including his chief of staff, voted to approve these new ward maps.

This is the reason why political activists and community organizers have initiated an online petition to ask city and state officials to reverse course and see to it that a new map is drawn. This petition got over 10,000 signatures within 24 hours.

I am asking you for your support on this extremely important matter. I encourage you to take the time to view—and sign—this online petition and prove that we cannot silence the will of Jersey City residents despite the best efforts of those who are in power.

 

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
Jersey City, US
4:07 am, July 3, 2022
75°F
broken clouds
Wind: 10 mph
Pressure: 1014 mb

Latest Articles

Forget the Whale
July 02, 2022 /

Rogue Waves July: Six Concert Picks in Jersey City

Raisa Nosova "Uprooted"
July 01, 2022 /

Muralist Raisa Nosova Raises a Distress call for Ukraine

Dickinson High School Jersey City 16x9
July 01, 2022 /

Former Dickinson High School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault

NJCU
July 01, 2022 /

NJCU Acting President Kroll Issues a Statement on Social Media

United States Supreme Court
July 01, 2022 /

We Must Amend the New Jersey Constitution to Include a Right to Privacy

CONTACT US

    ADS/INFO

    For information on advertising opportunities, please contact - ads@jcitytimes.com

    For information on writing opportunities, please contact - info@jcitytimes.com

    Download our media kit here

    ABOUT US

    About Jersey City Times

    Contact Jersey City Times

    Social

    Archives

    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    Copyright © 2020 JCityTimes.com. All Rights Reserved - powered by Enfold WordPress Theme
    Editorial: Why is the Mayor Hiding a 100k Pay Equity Report? Steven Fulop Michael Manzo Former Arson Investigator, Council Candidate, and Aide to Public Safety Director...
    Scroll to top