March 21, 2022, (Jersey City, New Jersey) The New Jersey Appleseed Public Interest Law Center, Inc. Bromberg Law LLC., and Matsikoudis & Fanciullo, LLC. filed a lawsuit with the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Hudson Count, on behalf of over fifteen organizational groups around the City and Councilman Frank E. Gilmore in his individual and official capacity. The neighborhood block associations and several city-wide organizations include Jersey City United Against the New Ward Map, Downtown Coalition of Neighborhood Association (, and its six organizational members), Greenville Neighborhood Alliance, Friends of Berry Lane Park, Riverview Neighborhood Association, Pershing Field Neighborhood Association Sgt. Anthony Neighborhood Association, Gardner Avenue Block Association, Lincoln Park Neighborhood Watch, Morris Canal Redevelopment CDC, Harmon Street Block Association, Crescent Avenue Block Association, and the Democratic Political Alliance.

The plaintiffs are interested in ensuring that Jersey City is organized in six compact, equally populated wards that respect neighborhoods, natural dividers, and communities that share similar municipal concerns. The Plaintiff groups are outraged about the lack of transparency in the process; and in particular, residents from around the City believe that the gross reconfiguration of Ward F, resulting in the relocation of many Ward F residents into Ward A, and the splitting of the historical black neighborhood of Lafayette, was done in retaliation for their support of Councilman Gilmore, his platform, and in particular, his support for more affordable housing in their neighborhoods.

Plaintiffs seek an order:

1. Invalidating the Commission’s Map;

2. Declaring that the Commission’s Map violates the Municipal Ward Law and the New Jersey Constitution;

3. Declaring that the Commission’s Map violates free speech and associational rights of the residents of Ward F, and those formerly in Ward F and now in A, which are protected by the New Jersey Constitution;

4. Declaring that the Commission’s Map violates Plaintiff Frank E. Gilmore’s free speech and associational rights by impermissibly retaliating against him by removing a significant number of his supporters, removing the federal opportunity zone from Ward F, and removing several proposed and/or approved development projects from the ward he was elected to represent;

5. Setting a reasonable deadline for the Commission to redraw the wards in a manner that complies with the Municipal Ward Law and the New Jersey Constitution, including the requirement that each ward be comprised of compact territory, which does not unnecessarily split neighborhoods or otherwise break apart communities of interest, and

6. Declaring that the Commission illegally excluded the public from attending and participating in certain meetings held by the Commission prior to its public meeting held on January 22, 2022, and declaring the Commission’s approval of the Commission Map to be null and void and in violation the Open Public Meetings Act.

Chris Gadsden spokesperson for Jersey City United Against the New Ward Map and organizer of the community groups represented in the lawsuit is excited. Gadsden stated, “Jersey City residents were appalled at the way in which our city was redistricted. We are united in our dedication to seeing this map changed to something more fair and reflective of who we are as a city.” “The process under which the new Ward Map — which will affect Jersey City neighborhoods for the next ten years — didn’t take into account community feedback, natural boundaries, or our city’s history.” “We deserve a map that reflects the true Jersey City!”

Jersey City United Against the New Ward map is working in conjunction with NJ Appleseed to make certain that the Ward Commission redistricts Jersey City’s Ward map in accordance with the law.

Gadsden would like to rally the community behind this lawsuit. Gadsden explained, “Efforts to hold entities like the Ward Commission takes research, resources, and money.” Anyone willing to make a contribution to assure municipal accountability, specifically with regard to Ward redistricting can do so by donating to https://njappleseed.org/donate/. All contributions are tax-deductible.

For Lafayette resident Dana Patton, this is an issue of justice. Ward F was carved up the most. Ward F was loud and clear in voting for Councilman Frank Gilmore. The mayor and former councilmember were not representing us but serving developers, and in return, Ward Commission tried to take away Ward F’s power.

New Jersey Appleseed Public Interest Law Center, with the assistance of Brett Pugach and William Matsikoudis, is honored to be able to represent organizations from every ward in the City to hold the Jersey City Ward Commission accountable, and to ensure that the law is applied in a way to protect the integrity, cohesiveness, and compactness of neighborhoods, which constitute communities of interest, and to ensure fair representation with respect to their City Council.