Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Cammarano Machine Takes One on the Chin

As of 5:30 am on Wednesday neither Dawn Zimmer nor Peter Cammarano has conceded in the Hoboken's mayoral election. according to the Associated Press.

Councilwoman Zimmer surpassed all expectations by winning at the polls (with a slim margin of more than 200 votes), but Councilman Cammarano edged ahead by 67 votes after absentee ballots were counted. Several dozen "provisional ballots" still need to be added to the mix.

Provisionals were cast after a voter's qualifications were challenged at a voting station. Both campaigns had monitors at stations throughout the city Tuesday, and I witnessed a voter challenge by a Zimmer monitor shortly after polls opened.

City Clerk Jimmy Farina told the AP that the candidates will head to court Wednesday to determine the provisional count.

Elsewhere the machine took a beating. Zimmer's slate of City Council-at-large candidates -- Ravi Bhalla, Dave Mello and Carol Marsh -- handily defeated Cammarano's crony line up, solidifying a progressive voting block on the council, and making it increasingly difficult for the patronage system to gain control of city spending.

While final results aren't in it's clear that Tuesday's vote was a significant victory in the long-term fight to reform local politics. The machine is breaking down in Hoboken. With more and better organizing of citizens, it may soon fade toward irrelevance.

No comments:

Post a Comment