Princeton has scheduled a special election to fill the vacant city council Place 4 seat. Early voting is scheduled to start next week and end on April 28. Election Day is May 2.
Ryan Gerfers stepped down from his seat earlier this year, citing health reasons. Four candidates have filed for a place on the ballot in the special election.
Hassan Abdulkareem lists his occupation as business professional on his application for a place on the ballot.
Jan Goria lists her occupation as retired on her application for a place on the ballot. Goria lists responsible growth and infrastructure, increased transparency and citizen involvement and preserving green spaces in Princeton as priorities on her campaign website.
Managing growth is pivotal, Goria said in a press release announcing her campaign. Princeton is the fastest growing city in the nation according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“I am running because I want what is right for the citizens and the city,” she said. “Princeton is at a pivotal moment. Growth is inevitable, but how we manage that growth will determine the future of our community.”
Sharad Ramani lists his occupation as self-employed on his application for a place on the ballot.
Ramani is a regular commenter at Princeton city council meetings. He alerted the council to issues with residents’ wastewater bills. The Princeton city council approved an ordinance in 2023 for winter-quarter averaging, which is supposed to help lower residents’ wastewater costs by using their winter usage to set their yearly rate.
The ordinance wasn’t implemented for reasons that are still unknown today. Residents received a refund for wastewater charges last year, something Ramani advocated for at multiple city council meetings.
“This is not merely an administrative hiccup,” he said at a June city council meeting. “It is a failure of process with a clear and significant financial impact on our community. It is therefore the moral duty of the city council and administration refund residents for these overcharges incurred due to the non-compliance of this ordinance.”
The city council repealed the winter-quarter averaging ordinance in 2024 and passed a new ordinance reinstating the policy in January.
Jaisen Rutledge lists his occupation as Vice President on his application for a place on the ballot. He previously served as the chair of the Princeton Community Development Corporation and is currently the chair of the city’s Home Rule Charter Committee.
Transparency is a common theme in the candidates’ campaigns, including Rutledge's.
He said on his campaign Facebook page he’d publish contracts, budgets, development agreements and project timelines in a searchable format online and publish explanations for his votes as a council member.
"Residents deserve access, clarity, and honest communication about how decisions are made and why,” Rutledge said.
Princeton residents can cast their ballots at the Princeton Municipal Center on East Princeton Drive in the 615 training room.
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