Elvin Dominici announced his bid for Jersey City’s Ward D council seat at as part of Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea’s (D-2) slate yesterday afternoon.
“25 years ago, my family and I arrived here from the Dominican Republic in pursuit of the American Dream. This is the neighborhood where we worked hard, navigating the highs and lows of a new life in the United States, all to ensure a brighter future for the next generation of our family,” he said at the intersection of Summit Avenue and Poplar Street.
“This neighborhood isn’t just where we lived; it’s where we grew, and made memories that define who we are today. My journey was not easy. I vividly remember the personal challenges we faced along the way. For example, Christ Hospital, where I welcomed my children into this world, is also where my family had to say goodbye to my older brother due to a brain tumor.”
He continued that his first job in this country was working at a car wash without knowing a word of english, before he learned the language at an ESL Level 1 class at Hudson County Community College (and later two master’s degrees from Saint Peter’s University).
” … When residents and voters ask, “Who is Elvin Dominici Encarnacion?” I tell them: I am not a traditional politician; I may not be polished in delivering public speeches or following the orders of political machines, and I am not someone who will be pushed around by greedy developers,” he added.
“But I am a proven, dedicated, and hardworking community activist in this community for the last 15 years.”
A founding member of the Hispanic American Commerce Association (HACA), this is Dominici’s second attempt to get elected to the Jersey City Council: he sought an at-large seat in 2021 and came in last place in a seven-person field.
Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh has announced he’ll seek re-election but is yet to join a slate, while his former opponent Patrick Ambrossi has declared as an independent.
With the announcement, he’s now the fourth candidate announced for O’Dea’s ticket: Anti-Violence Coalition of Hudson County Executive Director Pamela Johnson in Ward A, Kristen Zadroga-Hart at-large, and Councilman-at-Large Daniel Rivera seeking re-election.
Both O’Dea and former Gov. Jim McGreevey have unveiled four running mates, as has Council President Joyce Watterman.
Former Board of Education President Mussab Ali is the only declared candidate that hasn’t unveiled any slate mates yet, with Ward E Councilman James Solomon signaling he’ll be entering the mix soon.
The non-partisan Jersey City municipal elections, where the mayor’s seat (incumbent Steven Fulop is running for governor instead of seeking a fourth term) and all nine council seats are up for grabs, are set for November 4th, 2025.
