Deadline For Jersey City Election Petitions Coming Up

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jersey City's general elections are seven months away, but the deadline for petitions to join the ballot is just around the corner.

Petitions to run for Mayor or City Council are due by 4 p.m. on August 30. The 2021 general election in Jersey City is scheduled for Nov. 2 and the mayor's office along with city council seats will all be on the ballot. Candidates can only run for one position at a time.

For the first time ever, as a consequence of the State of Emergency necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and in accordance with Executive Order of the Governor #216, candidates will have the option of filing petitions electronically.

How many petitions are needed?

The number of petitions needed to secure a spot on the ballot varies depending on what position you run for. The City Clerk's office recommends candidates file more petitions than needed, just in case some petitions are invalidated when the clerk inspects them.

Here's the breakdown of petitions needed, per position:

• Mayor: 1,680 (Based on 167,958 registered voters in Jersey City)
• Councilperson at-Large: 1,680 (Based on 167,958 registered voters in Jersey City)
• Ward A: 294 (Based on 29,440 registered voters in Ward A)
• Ward B: 250 (Based on 25,034 registered voters in Ward B)
• Ward C: 233 (Based on 23,253 registered voters in Ward C)
• Ward D: 227 (Based on 22,653 registered voters in Ward D)
• Ward E: 369 (Based on 36,885 registered voters in Ward E)
• Ward F: 307 (Based on 30,693 registered voters in Ward F)

What are the petition requirements?

Petitions can be signed in person or electronically, but they must be signed by the person within the same Ward as the candidates position. A registered voter can only sign one petition for a Mayoral candidate, three petitions for Council at Large candidates and one petition for a Ward Council candidate. If a voter signs more than the specified number of petitions, then the Clerk’s Office will only certify the petitions of the first candidate to file.

Voters must print and sign their names clearly on the petition. If a newly registered voter signs a petition, then the original Voter Registration Form must be attached to the petition. Each petition will have a space for a number in the upper right-hand corner. Petitions must be numbered and submitted in consecutive order.

Electronic petitions must be emailed by candidates to residents who wish to sign them, then the residents must save and email the signed petitions to the clerk themselves. Petitions emailed to the clerk by the candidates will be discarded.

Those individuals who have signed an electronic petition must email the completed petition to the email address which corresponds to the office for which the candidate is seeking:

• Mayor: petitions-mayor@jcnj.org
• Councilperson at Large: petitions-at-large@jcnj.org
• Councilperson, Ward A: petitions-ward-a@jcnj.org
• Councilperson, Ward B: petitions-ward-b@jcnj.org
• Councilperson, Ward C: petitions-ward-c@jcnj.org
• Councilperson, Ward D: petitions-ward-d@jcnj.org
• Councilperson, Ward E: petitions-ward-e@jcnj.org
• Councilperson, Ward F: petitions-ward-f@jcnj.org

What else is needed to be a candidate?

An Application for Candidacy is necessary to get on the 2021 ballot. The application is also due August 30 alongside the petitions. The Application for Candidacy must include a notarized Oath of Candidacy, signed by the candidate, and a notarized Campaign Manager’s Oath signed by the campaign manager.

All prospective candidates must make an appointment with the City Clerk’s Office to obtain the Application for Candidacy. Call 201-547-5185 or email msandkamp@jcnj.org to set up an appointment.

Here are some other documents the application requires:

• A notarized Oath of Candidacy;
• A notarized Campaign Manager’s Oath;
• A notarized Certificate of Acceptance & Pledge of Allegiance;
• Appointment of a Campaign Manager Form;
• Appointment of a Campaign Treasurer & Bank Depository Form
• Request for Ballot Designation/Slogan Form (if applicable)*; and
• Request for Ballot Bracketing & Designation/Slogan Form (if applicable)*

Are you running for office in Jersey City? Patch will be running candidate profiles for all candidates — Email samantha.mercado@patch.com with your candidacy announcement and campaign information.