Change comes to New Jersey?

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Although only twenty-five of New Jersey's nearly five hundred towns have May nonpartisan elections, their importance is belied by the small number.

Here's a roundup of some of the most important results from yesterday's elections. In my opinion. For two cents plain.

Newark

When Sharpe withdrew, the race practically became a victory lap for Cory Booker. Now the hard part begins. The fact that the entire 9-seat City Council was also up at the same time sets the stage for faster-paced change than in a city like Plainfield -- where it took four cycles to change the Council makeup, with uncertain results. National attention is focused on both Newark and Booker in a more positive way than for perhaps a generation. The bar will be set very high. The challenges will be daunting. It will be fascinating. Watch and learn. Main stories: the Ledger and the New York Times. There are also stories analyzing Booker's long fundraising slog, Sharpe's showing up to vote, Ron Rice's campaign, newcomer Ramos trouncing incumbent Corchado in the North Ward, runoffs to decide 6 of 9 Council seats, opinion pieces by Tom Moran and Joan Whitlow, and a campaign notes piece.

Long Branch

Incumbent Adam Schneider won by a mere 517 votes over challenger 'Alfie' Lenkiewicz, with the main issue being eminent domain abuse. Schneider has pledged to use the controversial tool to condemn neighborhoods along the shore for development by commerical developers. Shcneider acknowledged the issue has divided the city and that he will pay a price for using it. Is this a wave that may wash up on Plainfield's shores? Main stories in the Asbury Park Press and the Ledger.

Bayonne

Development was the issue in Bayonne also. Joe Doria, 8-year incumbent and state senator fell far short of the 50% plus one vote needed, and will face a runoff in June against former municipal court judge Patrick 'Patty' Conaghan. His Council base also shrank with the defeat of two of his five Council running mates. The issue? Doria wants mixed-use development -- the current fad -- for the former Bayonne Military Terminal, while Conaghan favors development as a container port. State Police were present in several places and intervened at one school to eject a Doria worker who was accused of reaching inside a voting booth to switch a vote. Ahhhh! Hudson County, where the waterfront breezes are so fresh! Coverage from the Jersey Journal with a secondary story.

Trenton

Doug Palmer won an unprecedented 5th term as mayor against a field of four opponents, but with only 52.59% of the votes -- much narrower than ever before. Though his sixteen years in office have seen a good deal of private development, crime and problems with the public schools provided his opponents with plenty of ammunition. Sound familiar? In the Council race, residents will find out today if four Council seats will have to be settled in a runoff next month. Main coverage is in the Trenton Times.

Paterson

Incumbent Jose 'Joey' Torres won handily in this rust-belt town, saying he has begun its turnaround. His opponents had charged that development was mostly talk and that projects are languishing in the planning stages. Crime and grime were other issues, when the candidates got around to issues rather than personalities. It has been noted that Torres spent $671, 000 on the election -- his two opponenets spent slightly over $24,000 each. To the victor go the. . . Main story in the Bergen Record.

Crime. Grime. Schools. Eminent Domain. Change comes to New Jersey?

Stay tuned.

-- Dan Damon

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