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Jersey City Public Schools elections (2016)
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Three of the nine seats on the Jersey City Public Schools Board of Education were up for at-large general election on November 8, 2016. No incumbents filed for re-election. Ten candidates filed in the race, including former candidate Gina Verdibello and former board member Angel Valentin. They faced eight newcomers: Asmaa Abdalla, Mussab Ali, Luis Fernandez, Kimberly Goycochea, Natalia Ioffe, Mark Rowan, Sudhan Thomas, and Matthew Schapiro. Valentin, Fernandez, and Thomas won in the general election. Three candidates filed in the race but withdrew their candidacy and did not appear on the ballot: Dominique Lee, DeJon Morris, and Jose Vasquez.[1][2]
Three candidate slates were featured in the Jersey City Board of Education election. Sudhan Thomas, Gina Verdibello, and Angel Valentin ran on the Education Matters ticket. Asmaa Abdalla, Luis Fernandez, and Matthew Schapiro ran as the Jersey City United slate. The Fix It Now slate featured two 19-year-old candidates: Kimberly Goycochea and Mussab Ali. Read more about the candidate slates here.
This election was one of Ballotpedia's top 10 local-level races in 2016. Click here to read the full list.
Elections
Voter and candidate information
The Jersey City Board of Education consists of nine members elected at large to three-year terms by the district as a whole. Elections are staggered with three seats up for election each year. The general election was held on November 8, 2016. There was no primary election.[3]
Candidates for the board of education must be at least 18 years of age and registered to vote. They must have resided in the district for at least one year prior to their election or appointment. Candidates cannot concurrently hold office as mayor or as a member of the governing body of a municipality within the district. Jersey City Board of Education members cannot have a record of felony convictions. There are no term limits.[3] To read about New Jersey voter identification requirements, please click here.
Candidates and results
At-large
Results
This election was held on November 8, 2016.
| Jersey City Public Schools, At-large General Election, 3-year terms, 2016 |
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| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Angel Valentin |
15.96% | 16,308 |
| Sudhan Thomas |
15.69% | 16,033 |
| Luis Fernandez |
13.24% | 13,534 |
| Gina Verdibello | 12.54% | 12,815 |
| Matthew Schapiro | 12.34% | 12,615 |
| Asmaa Abdalla | 11.01% | 11,252 |
| Mussab Ali | 6.15% | 6,290 |
| Natalia Ioffe | 5.27% | 5,389 |
| Mark Rowan | 4.14% | 4,231 |
| Kimberly Goycochea | 3.66% | 3,736 |
| Total Votes | 102,203 | |
| Source: NJ.com, "Hudson County real-time election results 2016," November 8, 2016 These election results are unofficial and will be updated after official vote totals are made available. | ||
Candidates
| Asmaa Abdalla | Mussab Ali | Luis Fernandez 
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Kimberly Goycochea | Natalia Ioffe |
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| Mark Rowan | Sudhan Thomas
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Gina Verdibello | Angel Valentin
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Matthew Schapiro |
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Additional elections
- See also: New Jersey elections, 2016
The Jersey City Public Schools Board of Education election shared the ballot with the presidential election, New Jersey House of Representatives election, Jersey City municipal elections, as well as elections for state and local ballot measures.[4]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for New Jersey school board elections in 2016:[5][6]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| July 25, 2016 | Candidate filing deadline |
| September 9, 2016 | Candidate withdrawal deadline |
| October 10, 2016 | First pre-election campaign finance report due |
| October 18, 2016 | Voter registration deadline |
| October 28, 2016 | Second pre-election campaign finance report due |
| November 8, 2016 | Election day |
| November 28, 2016 | Post-election campaign finance report due |
| January 1 - January 7, 2017 | New members sworn in |
Endorsements
The Education Matters candidate slate, comprised of candidates Sudhan Thomas, Angel Valentin, and Gina Verdibello, was endorsed in the election by Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop (D), the Jersey City Police and Firefighter Department unions, and the Jersey City Education Association (JCEA).[7]
Sudhan Thomas was endorsed in the election by New Jersey Assemblyman Raj Mukherji (D-33) and the College Democrats of New Jersey.[8][9]
Mussab Ali and Kimberly Goycochea was endorsed in the election by Dwayne Baskerville, founder of Go Get My Kids, Inc.—a nonprofit youth organization.[10]
The Jersey City United slate, comprised of candidates Luis Fernandez, Asmaa Abdalla, and Matthew Schapiro, was endorsed in the election by Ahmed Shedeed, president of the Islamic Center of Jersey City.[11]
Do you know of an official or organization that endorsed a candidate in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at editor@ballotpedia.org.
Campaign finance
School board candidates were required to file a Certificate of Organization and Designation of Campaign Treasurer and Depository form if they received a contribution of any amount, including contributions from personal funds. Candidates filed this form with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).[12] Three reports were required from candidates who received contributions: the 29-day pre-election report, the 11-day pre-election report, and the 20-day post-election report. Contributions received between October 26, 2016, and November 8, 2016, required 48-hour notice reports.[13]
Reports
Candidates received a total of $36,566.74 and spent a total of $9,356.68 as of October 19, 2016, according to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.[14]
At-large
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| Jersey City United candidate slate | $28,821.00 | $7921.20 |
| Fix It Now candidate slate | Filed as exempt | |
| Natalia Ioffe | Filed as exempt | |
| Mark Rowan | $3,764.00 | $2,065.48 |
| Sudhan Thomas | Filed as exempt | |
| Angel Valentin | Filed as exempt | |
| Gina Verdibello | $3,981.74 | $0.00 |
Past elections
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What was at stake?
2016
Election trends
- See also: 2014 school board elections and 2015 school board elections
The Jersey City Board of Education had three seats up for general election in November 2016. No incumbents filed for re-election, meaning one-third of Jersey City's board leadership changed hands. The race in 2016 attracted more candidates than in recent years, with an average of 3.33 running per seat. In 2015, the average number of candidates running per seat was 1.33.
Eight newcomers filed in the 2016 election. One newcomer was elected to the board in 2015, and three non-incumbents were elected in 2014. Three incumbents ran for four seats in the 2013 election, but two of them ran in a special election for a one-year term. Angel Valentin defeated fellow incumbent Carol Lester to win that seat. Gerald Lyons, the other incumbent up for election that year, was defeated, receiving the fifth-most votes.
No seats were unopposed in the Jersey City Board of Education elections in 2013, 2014, or 2015, and no seats were unopposed in 2016. Statewide in 2015, 10.34 percent of school board seats on the ballot were unopposed.
Issues in the election
Three candidate slates featured in race
Eight of the ten candidates for the Jersey City Board of Education ran as members of a slate.
Former board member Angel Valentin, fourth-time board of education candidate Gina Verdibello, and newcomer Sudhan Thomas comprised the Education Matters slate. The three candidates expressed a desire to shorten lengthy Jersey City board meetings, to build consensus between school leaders and local politicians, and to improve public school curriculum and infrastructure. In the election held in 2015, all three candidates running as the Education Matters slate won election to the board.[15]
Candidates Asmaa Abdalla, Luis Fernandez, and Matthew Schapiro, ran as the Jersey City United slate, also referred to as the Jersey City United ticket. The slate's platform was based on what the candidates called Community-Connected Schools.[15] The platform included a commitment to district diversity, increased responsiveness to community demands, and the modernization of communications between the school district and district parents.[15]
Kimberly Goycochea and Mussab Ali, both 19 years old, made up the Fix It Now candidate slate. Goycochea and Ali each graduated from the Jersey City Public Schools system and expressed concern about violence on Jersey City campuses. The Fix It Now platform included multi-lingual accessibility, moderate support for charter schools, mentor programs to prevent student violence, and building close relationships between the board of education and state and local officials.[16]
Fight breaks out during community meeting
On October 5, a meeting of the Jersey City Democratic Organization turned physical after two individuals opposed to candidate slates in the Jersey City race confronted one another. The altercation was allegedly fueled by a Facebook post published by Jersey City Board of Education vice president John Reichart in September. The fight highlighted the contentious nature of the election, although no major issues dominated the race.[17]
The incident mirrored the often contentious nature of Jersey City board meetings. Between 2015 and 2016, the board of education regularly hosted meetings that lasted for hours and included infighting among board members and arguments between board members and members of the community.[18] The three incumbents not seeking re-election in 2016 expressed their disappointment in a statement issued in October. "Until we have political leaders in Jersey City who are willing to put children ahead of politics, we fear the board will remain on its current unfortunate course," the statement read in part.[17]
Jersey City United candidates host forum
On September 29, the Jersey City United (JCU) slate of candidates hosted a forum, which was originally described as a meeting on issues of race, religion, and diversity. The forum, however, quickly turned divisive as the JCU candidates criticized the opposing Education Matters slate on multiple fronts. JCU member Matthew Schapiro accused the Education Matters slate of accepting an endorsement by the Jersey City Education Association (JCEA) despite a controversial comment made by the group's president, Ronald Greco. "Some of these kids just don't have it in their DNA to go to college," Greco said during a meeting of the Jersey City board in 2014. Greco defended his comments in an emailed response, saying that Schapiro took the quote entirely out of context. He argued that the basis of the comment sprang from his support for technical and trade-oriented education programs and was not intended to demean students.[19]
The JCU candidates also stated that the Jersey City education system, and the Jersey City board leadership, was a failure. JCU members Luis Fernandez and Asmaa Abdalla accused the board of being absent when issues such as graduation rates and gun violence on campuses had arisen in the past. "But when it comes to Election Day, Hello! Oh, here they are!" stated Fernandez.[19] Fernandez further pointed out that no elected official clicked "Like" on a Facebook post for a Jersey City Schools gun-violence victim's candlelight vigil. Community members applauded the candidate remarks and echoed the JCU's sentiments during public comments.[19]
A news release by the JCU candidates in early September billed the meeting as a community forum held in response to a Facebook post made by board vice president John Reichart. The post contained an image of football player Colin Kaepernick superimposed over an image of alleged bomber Ahmad Khan Rahami. In the image, Kaepernick is kneeling during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice.[20] The post called both men "turds" and was later deleted by Reichart. The JCU candidates called the post offensive and inappropriate. The Facebook post, however, was not referenced during the JCU forum.[20]
Issues in the district
New school funding plans proposed
Two New Jersey public school funding plans emerged during the summer of 2016. Gov. Chris Christie (R) and New Jersey Sen. President Stephen Sweeney (D) both proposed funding plans that would significantly alter the funding of Jersey City Public Schools. In 2016, Jersey City received approximately three-quarters of its funding from the state.[21] Mayor Steve Fulop (D) and district superintendent Marcia Lyles declined to comment on either proposal.
Christie's proposal would allocate the same amount of state aid funding to each pupil attending a public school, equalizing the amount of aid received by each school district. This would fund each public school student at $6,599. In 2016, Jersey City's per pupil funding was $15,235. Christie defended his plan and argued that providing school districts with more money has not improved underperforming schools in the past. "I'm tired of hearing the fiction that money can solve the problem," Christie stated. He also argued that his proposal would lower property taxes statewide.[21]
Sweeney's proposal would amend the 2008 School Funding Reform Act. This act requires the distribution of state aid based on factors such as student enrollment, student disability, and student poverty. The act has never been fully implemented and Sweeney's proposal would gradually phase in its full funding. His plan also calls for the creation of a panel to investigate best school district funding practices. "We have to be fair to everyone in the state," Sweeney stated.[21]
Report a story for this election
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About the district
- See also: Jersey City Public Schools, New Jersey
Jersey City Public Schools is located in northwestern New Jersey in Hudson County. The county seat is Jersey City. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Hudson County was home to 674,836 residents between 2010 and 2015.[22] The district was the second-largest school district in the state in the 2013–2014 school year and served 27,571 students.[23]
Demographics
Hudson County underperformed in terms of median household income between 2010 and 2014, compared to New Jersey as a whole. The median household income in the county was $58,973, compared to $72,062 statewide. The poverty rate in Hudson County was 17.7 percent, compared to 10.8 percent for the entire state. The Census Bureau also found that 36.8 percent of Hudson County residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 36.4 percent statewide.[22]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Jersey City Public Schools' 'New Jersey'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Jersey City Public Schools | New Jersey | School Boards |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Mandy Gillip, "Phone conversation with district business administration office," August 2, 2016
- ↑ Hudson County View, "Newark BRICK Academy Schools CEO withdraws from Jersey City BOE race," September 7, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jersey City Public Schools, "Board of Education Policies," accessed August 31, 2016
- ↑ New Jersey Department of State, "General Election Information," accessed September 20, 2016
- ↑ New Jersey School Boards Association, "2016 School Board Candidacy & Election Dates," accessed September 20, 2016
- ↑ State of New Jersey Department of State, "General Election Timeline," accessed September 20, 2016
- ↑ New Jersey, "Jersey City teachers union endorses three in November school board race," August 22, 2016
- ↑ Hudson County View, "Assemblyman Raj Mukherji endorses Sudhan Thomas for Jersey City BOE," August 15, 2016
- ↑ Hudson County View, "LETTER: College Democrats of NJ endorse Sudhan Thomas for Jersey City BOE," August 15, 2016
- ↑ New Jersey, "Schools need upgrades; Go Get My Kids founder makes endorsement for JCBOE; Support Lib ticket | Hudson Voices," September 16, 2016
- ↑ Hudson County View, "Jersey City United gets endorsement of local Muslim leader in BOE race," October 12, 2016
- ↑ New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, "Campaign Reporting for Candidates, Joint Candidates Committees and Election Related Committees," accessed September 29, 2016
- ↑ New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, "2016 Reporting Dates," accessed September 29, 2016
- ↑ New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, "View a Candidate or Election Related Committee Report," accessed October 27, 2016
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Hudson Reporter, "Jersey City United candidates meet public," September 25, 2016
- ↑ Hudson County View, "Two 19-year-old grads of Jersey City’s public schools seeking BOE seats," August 10, 2016
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 New Jersey, "Jersey City school board race turning ugly," October 17, 2016
- ↑ Hudson Reporter, "Agreeing to disagree," October 16, 2016
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Hudson County View, "Jersey City United hosts public forum on race, religion and diversity," September 30, 2016
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 New Jersey, "Community forum on race, diversity, religion, BOE race Sept. 29," September 27, 2016
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 New Jersey, "Jersey City schools face threat of changes in state funding," September 8, 2016
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 United States Census Bureau, "Hudson County, New Jersey," accessed September 20, 2016
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed November 16, 2015
- ↑ State of New Jersey Department of State, "Statewide Voter Registration Summary," accessed October 27, 2013
| 2016 Jersey City Public Schools Elections | |
| Hudson County, New Jersey | |
| Election date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Candidates: | At-large: Asmaa Abdalla • Mussab Ali • Luis Fernandez • Kimberly Goycochea • Natalia Ioffe • Mark Rowan • Sudhan Thomas • Gina Verdibello • Angel Valentin • Matthew Schapiro |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
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