On June 10, 2025, registered voters in Hudson County will choose which candidates will represent their party in the New Jersey General Assembly election this November. The primary includes races in the 32nd Legislative District, which covers all of Hoboken and a portion of Jersey City. This year, six Democratic candidates are running for two available Assembly seats. The two Republican candidates have no primary challengers.
Voters will also have the opportunity to vote in primaries for Governor, Hudson County Sheriff, and local political committee members. To participate, voters must be registered with a political party. Unaffiliated voters may choose to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary, and doing so will affiliate them with that party.
- Six Democrats are running for two Assembly seats in the 32nd District, which includes Hoboken and part of Jersey City; only Jessica Ramirez is seeking re-election.
- Election Day is June 10. Early voting runs June 3–8 at Hoboken City Hall and other county sites. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by June 10 and received within six days.
- Candidates are focusing on housing costs, public transit funding, and local infrastructure, with clear differences in experience and approach.
Democratic Candidates Running in the 32nd District
Six Democratic candidates are running in this primary. They are grouped into three slates of two, and voters may choose any two Democratic candidates regardless of slate. The current Assembly representatives are Jessica Ramirez and John Allen. Allen is not seeking re-election. Ramirez is running again and has a new running mate, Yousef Saleh.
Jessica Ramirez and Yousef Saleh
Jessica Ramirez and Yousef Saleh are running together on the “Democrats for Change” slate. Ramirez is currently serving in the New Jersey Assembly. Her new running mate is Yousef Saleh, the sitting Councilman for Ward D in Jersey City since April 2020. Saleh is 36 years old and was born and raised in Jersey City. He attended P.S. 28 Christa McAuliffe School, graduated from McNair Academic High School, and went on to complete undergraduate and law degrees at Rutgers University and Rutgers Law School.
Saleh describes himself as committed to public service, having left a corporate job on Wall Street to serve during the COVID-19 pandemic. He chairs every city budget hearing and has never missed a City Council meeting or vote. He is engaged to his fiancée, Kat, and says he is focused on issues like housing affordability, public transportation, and fair investment in infrastructure. Saleh states that he is not new to government work and that he has already been delivering results to the residents of Jersey City.
Ravi Bhalla and Katie Brennan
Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla is also running for Assembly. Bhalla has served as Hoboken’s mayor since 2018 and previously served on the City Council from 2010 to 2017. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley, a master’s degree from the London School of Economics, and a J.D. from Tulane Law School. He lives in Hoboken with his wife, Bindya, and their two children, Arza (18) and Shabegh (13).
Bhalla’s running mate is Katie Brennan, a housing expert based in Jersey City. Together, they are running independently of the county political organization. Bhalla is not seeking another mayoral term and is campaigning on his local government record.
As mayor, Bhalla launched Hoboken’s Vision Zero traffic safety initiative. The city is now entering its eighth consecutive year without a single pedestrian fatality. This program has been recognized nationally, including by U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, as a model for safer urban streets.
Bhalla has also focused on climate change mitigation. Hoboken received an “A” rating from the non-profit CDP for climate leadership. The city has increased electric vehicle charging options and built “resiliency parks” designed to manage flooding.
In the Assembly, Bhalla says he would support state-level tenant protections, including a cap on rent increases for buildings not covered by local rent control laws and legal counsel for tenants facing eviction. He also wants to expand the supply of affordable housing by streamlining the approval process, ending exclusionary zoning, and supporting development near public transit.
Bhalla is against the $10.7 billion New Jersey Turnpike expansion project and supports increasing funding for NJ Transit. He says that he and Brennan are not tied to political party leaders and will instead represent local voters.
Jennie Pu and Crystal Fonseca
The third team in the race includes Jennie Pu, Director of the Hoboken Public Library, and Crystal Fonseca, the Director of Buildings and Street Maintenance in Jersey City. This ticket is supported by the Hudson County Democratic Organization, a long-standing and well-funded political group in the region. Their campaign is not described in the same level of public detail, but their organizational backing could influence turnout.
When and Where to Vote in the Hudson County Primary
Election Day is Tuesday, June 10, 2025. On that day, voters must vote at their assigned polling locations.
Early voting started Tuesday, June 3, and is available through Sunday, June 8.
Early voting hours are:
- Tuesday, June 3 – Saturday, June 7: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Sunday, June 8: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
In Hoboken, early in-person voting is available at City Hall, located at 94 Washington Street. Hoboken voters may also use any early voting site in Hudson County during the early voting period.
Voting by Mail
Mail-in ballots must be postmarked no later than June 10 and must be received within six days of Election Day to be counted. Voters can check their registration, find drop-off locations, and track their mail-in ballot through the official Hudson County election website.
What Else Is on the Ballot?
In addition to the 32nd District Assembly race, Hudson County voters will also see races for:
- Governor (primary)
- Hudson County Sheriff
- Local party committee members (two per party, per district)
Sample ballots for all Hudson County districts are available on the county website. Voters are encouraged to review their sample ballots in advance to prepare for Election Day.
How to Stay Updated or Share Election Content
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All six Democratic Assembly candidates are being profiled by Patch. To read their full responses and statements, visit the Hoboken Patch political section.
