Hoboken, New Jersey Mayor Ravi Bhalla has been re-elected unopposed for his second term to office. According to an NJ.com report, this was the first time a candidate ran unopposed in Hoboken in over 68 years.
Bhalla had scripted history in the 2017 election when he won the election, becoming the first Sikh mayor in the state. Bhalla served three terms on the Hoboken City Council and emerged victorious in 2017 from a crowded ticket of six others running for the mayor’s seat.
The town of Hoboken, across the river from Manhattan, New York, is exactly one square mile with 55,000 residents. One of the area’s most significant concerns is damage from flooding: 79 per cent of Hoboken’s residents fall into FEMA’s new “coastal high hazard” zone.
When Bhalla served on the city council, he helped Hoboken acquire eight acres of additional green space, some through eminent domain. The city incorporated stormwater collection tanks underneath the park through a novel scheme that store up to 500 million gallons of water.
During flooding, the water is pumped off the street and stored in the tanks until it is treated properly, then discharged into the nearby Hudson River. “We have made the city more resilient against flooding,” Bhalla was quoted as saying.
The League of Conservation Voters congratulated the Indian American mayor on his re-election. “Congratulations to Ravi Bhalla for your victory as Hoboken Mayor! We’re looking forward to working with you to protect the health and wellbeing of your community,” wrote the LCV in a tweet.
After his win, Bhalla thanked the residents of Hoboken for supporting him and his slate. “Serving as your mayor has been the honour of a lifetime, and I look forward to another four years of building on the progress we’ve made together.”
“The future is bright for Hoboken. We look forward to what’s ahead, and to representing you with integrity, honesty and hard work,” wrote Bhalla.
The mayor has been living in Hoboken since 2000, with his wife Navneet, a human rights lawyer, and their two children, Arza and Shabegh.
While on November 2, Team Bhalla’s Spokesman Rob Horowitz put out the following media release:
“This was an overwhelming victory tonight for Mayor Bhalla and the Team Bhalla at-large Council slate of Councilwoman Emily Jabbour, Councilman Jim Doyle and Joe Quintero. Hoboken voters sent a message that they strongly approved of the performance, policies and new proposals of Mayor Bhalla and his Council Team. Team Bhalla thanks Hoboken voters for the strong mandate they provided—one that will create momentum for leading Hoboken forward. Team Bhalla congratulates all the Council opponents for their hard work and the good campaigns they ran.”
