The Jersey City mayoral election of 2001 was held on May 8, 2001. The mayor is popularly elected in a nonpartisan general election. The incumbent Mayor of Jersey City, Bret Schundler, did not run for re-election.
A runoff held on June 5, 2001. Glenn Cunningham was elected, becoming the first African-American mayor of Jersey City. His opponent in the run-off was Thomas A. DeGise, who later became Hudson County Executive. It was one of the most expensive local races in New Jersey history.
Cunningham died in office before completing his term.
Candidates
Robert Cavanaugh Glenn Cunningham, United States Marshal for the District of New Jersey since 1996, candidate for mayor in 1989, and former Jersey City councilman (1982–90), council president (1986–90) and Hudson County freeholder (1976–79) (Democratic) Tom DeGise, president of the Jersey City Council since 1993 (Democratic) Louis Manzo, former Hudson County freeholder (1990–93) and candidate for mayor in 1992 and 1993 (Democratic) Kevin Sluka
Disqualified Gerald McCann, former mayor of Jersey City (1981–85, 1989–92) and convicted criminal (Democratic)
Results Candidate Vote Count Percent Glenn Dale Cunningham 14,392 38.61% Thomas A. DeGise 9,008 24.17% Louis Manzo 7,618 20.44% Kevin Sluka 3,439 9.23% Robert Cavanaugh 2,817 7.56%
Gerald McCann, who had served two non-consecutive terms as Mayor of Jersey City before being convicted of fraud in a savings-and-loan scam, attempted to file a petition to run but was barred from doing so.
Runoff
Candidate Vote Count Percent Glenn Dale Cunningham 22,232 53.17% Thomas A. DeGise 19,581 46.83%
References