The NAACP suit charged that tactics employed by HCDO officials and candidates discriminated against African American voters of Jersey City's Ward F in last June's primary. In a separate hearing in Hudson County, that primary was let stand by The Appelate Court who ruled that none of the counter charges against the winning candidates would have changed the outcome even if proven. The challenge of the primary victory by Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham and his running mates Assemblymen Louis Manzo and Anthony Chiappone was the basis of the NAACP suit.

The suit pointed out bias by HCDO officials in the way voters were targeted to be challenged, based on where they lived. The NAACP suit points out that the challenges occurred almost entirely in Ward F with its 80 percent African American population. Nearby Bayonne which is the other one third of the 31St District contested in the primary is just 5 percent African American. The suit charges, among other things, that not a single Bayonne resident was challenged by HCDO candidates.

Workers for defeated Assemblyman Joe Doria were instructed to challenge voters according to where they lived. Javier Inclan, formerly Executive Director of the HCDO and now County Clerk is also charged in the suit with giving instructions to political aides and workers in an improper fashion.

The mandate ordered that poll workers and challengers must be trained with new requirements to be drawn jointly by the NAACP and the Attorney General. The order also requires Superintendents of Elections in all 21 Counties statewide to validate that all election workers and challengers have been properly trained to the new guidelines prior to the election.

There will now also be signs posted at each polling place explaining the rights of the voters and the challenge process in regard to Civil Rights and Voting Rights.

Kabili Tayari, President of the Jersey City Chapter of the NAACP, said that a key provision of the order requires close monitoring of Javier Inclan by the office of the Attorney General as he discharges his duties now as County Clerk to assure the law is fully adhered to.

Tayari said that the case will continue on February 9th when the NAACP and its attorneys may take their complaints up one level of seriousness.

Follow Ups:

• Re: NAACP DISCRIMINATION SUIT WINS STATEWIDE JOKE AWARD Kabili Tayari ,try using some breath mints. 21:46:00 01/31/04 (1)
  • Re: NAACP DISCRIMINATION SUIT WINS STATEWIDE JOKE AWARD NEEDS A BATH TOO! 12:06:45 02/01/04 (0)