Today early voting begins in New Jersey which means ALL New Jersey Voters finally get to exercise their civic right and vote in this election!
Irrespective of who you vote for, if you are registered, please just vote. Let’s show New Jersey that our Hoboken values democracy and our right to elect our representatives. A right that many around the world do not have. Bring your kids – teach them early. Get your sticker and wear it proudly!
In this newsletter, just a few updates regarding voting and some events happening this weekend, as early as just under two hours from now!
- Protecting Hoboken’s Affordability: Why Voting No Matters
- What You Need To Know About Voting In This Election
- THIS MORNING: HoBOOKen 5K Halloween Runs and Scavenger Hunt
- THIS AFTERNOON: Howl-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest & Parade
- TOMORROW: Hoboken Historical Museum House Tour
PROTECTING HOBOKEN’S AFFORDABILITY:
WHY VOTING NO MATTERS
This vote isn’t a theoretical debate about whether rent control is good or bad. It’s about the existing laws that have shaped our community for decades—and how changing these laws would result in a wealth transfer and make Hoboken less affordable. This isn’t about abstract policy discussions or claims that building new affordable housing is the ideal solution to affordability. In Hoboken, we face the reality of limited space to build, though we require large developments to include 10% affordable housing. Rent control has helped keep Hoboken affordable, and it remains one of the few tools we have to address affordability in our city. For decades, Hoboken’s rent control laws have provided stability for renters and predictability for landlords. These are the rules that have kept Hoboken accessible to people from all backgrounds, and any sudden changes to these protections could have long-lasting consequences for the community we’ve built together.
WHAT IS THE HOBOKEN PUBLIC QUESTION
AND WHY AM I ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO?
It’s simple.
- VOTING NO keeps Hoboken’s rent protections in place.
- VOTING YES lets landlords increase rents dramatically.
When rents go up, so does the cost of living, affecting everyone, regardless of income.
The key difference between the two options is what happens when a tenant moves out:
- Under current rent protections, landlords already have considerable flexibility to increase rents over time. When a tenant vacates, landlords can raise rent by 25% every three years, in addition to annual CPI increases already charged. Combined, this can result in up to 10% annual rent increases if the market supports it. Additionally, if a landlord moves into their property and lives there for two years, they can then rent it out at a market rent, resetting the rent baseline. Landlords can also pass through costs like tax increases, water charges, and capital improvements (such as new kitchens or building upgrades). While rent control is designed to protect tenants, landlords still have multiple avenues to raise rents and remain financially secure.
- If the Public Question passes, landlords could pay a one-time $2,500 fee to Hoboken’s affordable housing trust fund, which would allow them to charge much higher market rents every time a tenant leaves. This sounds like a lot, but it’s not. To put it in perspective, it takes deregulating ~80 rental units to fund just one new affordably priced unit. This proposal is more about increasing rents than preserving affordability, although the corporate landlords behind Voting Yes would like you to believe otherwise. Voting Yes will rapidly reduce the number of affordably priced units across all pricing levels in Hoboken, particularly hurting our most vulnerable residents.
One important point: I do not support law changes that result in a sudden wealth transfer, like what voting yes in this election proposes to do, and I’ve been consistent on this. When my Council colleagues Jabbour, Russo, Quintero, Doyle and Cohen changed our rent control laws in February 2023 - by eliminating the practice that allowed landlords to recapture rents lowered during COVID and/or increases not charged, a practice landlords had relied on for decades— even though it benefitted tenants, I voted no because it was a wealth transfer. I knew it would destabilize our rent control framework and that landlords would make good on their promise to fund a ballot referendum to gut rent control altogether, which is exactly what happened.
In response, my Council colleagues Ramos, Giattino, DeFusco, and I worked with both landlords and tenant advocates to stabilize rent control, voting on a compromise amendment that offered landlords back some of what they lost in exchange for improved protections for existing tenants. It was a balanced compromise that would have benefited everyone and would have staved off a ballot referendum. Unfortunately, Mayor Bhalla vetoed this compromise which ultimately led to rent control being on the ballot this year, putting the stability of our community now at risk.
As I’ve said before, I’m committed to fixing what was broken —but we can only do this if the Public Question fails. If it passes, we’ll be unable to amend our rent control laws for three years, and by then, the damage will already be done.
Please join me in VOTING NO on Hoboken’s Public Question. Together, we can fight for affordability, prevent displacement, support our community, and protect what makes Hoboken special. And please remember to vote—because you can be sure those voting YES will!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VOTING IN THIS ELECTION
WHAT AND WHO ARE THE BALLOT?
Click here to see the sample ballot for Hoboken. On the ballot are choices for:
- US President / Vice President
- US Senate
- US House of Representative
- County Surrogate
- Hoboken School Board
- Hoboken Public Question regarding Rents and Affordability
WHO CAN VOTE
All registered voters. It is too late for new registrations. You can confirm your registration here.
HOW TO VOTE
You have 4 different ways to vote:
- In Person Early Voting in a Machine
- In Person On Election Day in a Machine
- By Mail
- Provisionally (paper ballot), in Person Early or On Election Day
In Person Early Voting
Begins today and continues through November 3rd. Like on Election Day, this is on a machine but the only location is City Hall. I have met with the Board of Elections and asked that we consider adding a 2nd location for the next election uptown – maybe under the viaduct - that they are considering to make voting early more accessible to everyone. I encourage you to go and vote early to avoid long lines on Election Day. Hours are as follows:
- M-Sa: 10am-8pm
- Su: 10am-6pm
In Person On Election Day
By now you should have received your sample ballot which tells you where to vote and lets you familiarize yourself with who and what is on the ballot. Confirm your Election Day polling location here. NOTE: THERE ARE 2 NEW POLLING LOCATIONS THIS YEAR As of this writing I only know one – Ward 2, District 1 will now vote on the 12th Street side of 1125 Maxwell Lane which will make it closer for voters in this district. Previously you voted on the 11th Street side along with Ward 2, District 2.
By Mail
-
If you already received a ballot in the mail, you can complete it and either:
- Drop in any secure Hudson County drop box locations (click for locations) before 8pm on Election Day, or
- Mail it, postmarked no later than Election Day.
- If you would like to request a vote-by-mail ballot, you can send in an application. The application must be received by the Hudson County Clerk at least 7 days before Election Day to ensure enough time for them to mail you the ballot. You can also apply in person at the Hudson County Clerk's Office up until 3 PM on November 4th. Click here for an application in English or Spanish.
- You can track your ballot here.
Provisionally (paper ballot), in Person Early or On Election Day.
If you’ve lost your vote-by-mail ballot, prefer not to use it, or if poll workers can’t find your name in the system when you get to the polls, you can always fill out a provisional ballot in person. Even if you’re told to go to a different polling location and don’t have the time, you can still fill out a provisional ballot. If a poll worker denies you this, call me at 201-208-1674, and I’ll help you get the assistance you need. A provisional ballot works just like a vote-by-mail ballot—it takes only a few minutes to complete, you seal it in the envelopes, and leave it with the poll worker. All provisional ballots are counted, though they’re typically counted last.
WHO I’M SUPPORTING IN THIS ELECTION
Many have asked who I’ll be voting for, so here are my choices for this election:
- Harris / Walz for President / Vice President
- Andy Kim for US Senate
- Rob Menendez for US House of Representatives (incumbent)
- Tilo Rivas for County Surrogate (incumbent)
- Cadematori, McGuirk, Kluepfel for Hoboken Board of Education (incumbents)
- No on the Public Question regarding Rents and Affordability
Please note, that I know not everyone agrees with these choices. And I am 100% OK with that. Having choices at the polls and showing up to vote for your choices is what makes our democracy and being an American so amazing.
HOBOOKEN 5K HALLOWEEN RUNS AND SCAVENGER HUNT
The Hoboken Shelter’s annual 5K race kicks off at 10 AM at Pier A, and you can still register on-site! There’s also a kids' race (100 meters) for children aged 2 and up, starting at 11 AM. If you can’t make it in person, you can still participate virtually by running wherever you are! In addition, the Hoboken Shelter is hosting a virtual scavenger hunt that you can enjoy anytime over the weekend. Click here to register and learn more! Proceeds go toward supporting the important work of The Hoboken Shelter.
HOWL-O-WEEN PET COSTUME CONTEST & PARADE
This super adorable and fun Hoboken Community Center event is today from 2-4PM at Church Square Park. Whether you have a pet or not, buy a ticket to support the HCC and all their amazing efforts and come down to CSP to see all the cutie patuties. Weather is going to be perfect! Register / donate here: Howl-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest & Parade Tickets. My own little cutie Brownie will be representing today.
HOBOKEN HISTORICAL MUSEUM HOUSE TOUR
Tomorrow, Sunday, October 27th, explore Hoboken's rich history and architectural beauty by joining the Hoboken Historical Museum House Tour. This self-guided tour offers a unique opportunity to visit 8-10 of Hoboken's finest and most interesting homes, from beautifully restored Victorians to modern spaces with sweeping views. Each stop on the tour highlights the city’s diverse heritage and architectural styles. Proceeds benefit the Hoboken Historical Museum, supporting its mission to preserve and share the city’s history. Don’t miss this beloved annual event! Click here to learn more and get tickets.
Our Uniting for Harris Walz 2024 Hoboken group with 155 members still has opportunities to get involved. Join 9 of us tomorrow ON AND FOR MY BIRTHDAY to door knock in PA. Birthday cupcakes will be provided! Or make calls to PA voters on Wednesday night, or join Liz Urtecho and I to help in PA on election day! If interested in any of the above, just email us at [email protected]. We are mailing the 5,000 postcards we wrote on Monday! I know not everyone supports this ticket, but if you do, you're welcome to join us!
Finally, if you are someone who rents, and lives in a rental building, can you text (201-208-1674) or email me today? I want to connect about the upcoming Hoboken Public Question vote…As always, please share this with everyone you know who may be interested and reach out any time on any issue important to you: 201-208-1764 or [email protected].
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