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With 83 percent (62 of 74) of districts reporting, the incumbents look to be clear winners over newcomers Andre Bailey, Damon Jones, Maria Caraballo and Damaris Mone.
There are no Republicans looking to run for the three vacant council seats, although Bailey and Caraballo could run again as they are on the Conservative Party line. A second challenge is unlikely amount to much, and Edwards, Apuzzo and Griffith look poised to join Deborah Reynolds and Richard Thomas on the all-Democratic city council.
“To say that people are disappointed is an understatement,” Fourth Street resident Bernie Carr said outside of City Hall. “I guess those three had more support than we realized. They also threw more money at it than any other candidate.”
Edwards (23 percent of votes) and Griffith (20 percent) easily led the field of seven, but Apuzzo (17 percent) faced a strong challenge from Caraballo (12 percent), Bailey and Jones (11 percent each).
Some residents are already looking toward the election in two years, when there will be a race for mayor and two more council seats will open up.
“We have to hope they don’t screw things up too badly and make another go at it in 2015,” Karen Blaine said. “Maybe they’ll surprise us and turn things around in the city.”
The three elected city council members will serve four-year terms under Mayor Ernest Davis. Out side of the train station, resident Steven Lang said that while not everyone may agree with the election, they now have to live with the three they’ve put into office.
“People around the streets may not be happy, but if they wanted change, they should go out and change things,” he said. “These are the people we elected, they must have support coming from somewhere.”
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