Princeton voters may have to hit the polls again to fill the City Council Place 4 seat.
No candidate received 50% of the vote according to unofficial results.
Early results show that Jan Goria received about 42% of the vote to take over for Ryan Gerfers, who stepped down from the place 4 council seat earlier this year, citing health reasons. Jaisen Rutledge got about 33% of the votes as of Saturday night.
Sharad Ramani got about 22% of the vote according to unofficial results, and Hassan Abdulkareem received about 4%.
Jan Goria listed 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.”
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 was a common theme in the candidates’ campaigns, including Rutledge. 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.
Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org.
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