PATERSON – Waiting until the 11th hour and deep-sixing mischievous opposition rumors about how he wouldn’t file in the end, Mayor Jeff Jones moments ago submitted his petition signatures in pursuit of a second term.
Leading a caravan of allies, Jones ascended from his second floor office to the third floor clerk’s quarters and presented 1,125 petition signatures to Clerk Jane Williams-Warren.
Jones said he intends to hand in an additional 100 plus signatures before the 4 p.m. deadline.
Flanking the mayor stood his co-campaign managers: Erik Lowe and Russell Graddy.
“Russell Grady is a longstanding businessman, community leader and civil rights leader, who was responsible for bringing Dr. Martin Luther King to Paterson,” the mayor said. “Erik is the future – the next generation.”
PolitickerNJ asked the mayor how he felt upon submitting his petitions.
“Good,” said Jones.
Confident that his signatures will pass inspection?
“That’s why you get more,” he said with a smile. “You always get more.”
The city requires 801 good ones.
Jones is hoping to win re-election in the face of eight challengers who all filed to run for mayor: Council President Andre Sayegh, Maria Teresa Feliciano, former Councilman Aslon Goow, Councilman Rigo Rodriguez, Donna Nelson-Ivy, former Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres, Ramon Valenzuela, and David Gilmore.
