With 100 percent of districts reporting in Hoboken’s First Ward runoff election, unofficial results show Paul Presinzano defeating Rafi Cordova, Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s candidate for the ward’s Council seat. Cordova is Hoboken’s Rent Leveling and Stabilization Board Chairman.
The Hudson County Clerk’s Office reports that less than 20 percent of the ward’s registered voters cast ballots.
The tally shows Presinzano winning 692 to 529. That’s an advantage of 56.67 percent to 43.33 percent.
What does this all mean for Mayor Bhalla? Well, the Council is basically split 4-4, as it was prior to the November 7 general election, with 3rd Ward Councilman Michael Russo acting, in most instances, as the swing vote. With Russo a likely mayoral candidate in 2025, it will be interesting to see how the Council operates moving forward.