Michael Jackson captures Paterson’s 1st Ward council seat
By Jayed Rahman
Published: November 3, 2015
Business owner Michael Jackson secured a city council seat on Tuesday evening defeating three opponents.
Jackson won in the four-person 1st Ward special election beating Bernard Jones, Manny Martinez, and Veronica Ovalles, according to unofficial election results.
Jackson received the most votes out of the four candidates. Jackson secured 700 votes. Martinez received 430. Jones 332. And Ovalles 152. Jackson received 39-percent of the 1,807 votes cast. Martinez received a distant 24-percent.
Alveria Spencer, who withdrew from the race following a n-word use scandal, was still listed on the ballot, receiving 11-percent of the votes. She obtained 193 votes.
Jackson’s victory in the special election gains him the seven months that remains in disgraced former councilman Anthony Davis’ term.
The special election was prompted at the resignation of Davis who took $10,000 in bribe money from an ostensible developer in exchange for official help.
Davis received a two-year prison sentence for his transgressions.
Council members opted to fill Davis’ vacancy by appointing pastor James Staton to represent the ward until a special election can be held. The pastor has been representing the 1st Ward for the past 11 months.
Jackson will serve out the rest of Davis’ term which expires on June 30th, 2016.