The mayor of Jersey City, Glenn Cunningham, died suddenly of a heart attack on Wednesday night. Now, I feel no allegiance to Jersey City and have no interest in Jersey City politics — I still consider myself a temporary resident — but still, wow. Jersey City’s one of the biggest cities in the state and this was so out of the blue. The mayor was just 60 years old.
I actually met the mayor last spring. As part of my job as a state lawyer, I have to be at a polling station on state election days to make sure that the state’s election laws are being followed, including making sure that eligible voters are not turned away and that ineligible voters do not get to vote. State judges are on hand to hear emergency voting cases, and they usually rule in favor of letting people vote. Last spring, on a state election day, I was working at the Hudsdon County building in Jersey City when the mayor and his wife walked in, accompanied by a lawyer.
Apparently there was some dumb technical thing wrong with Mrs. Cunningham’s voter registration, and she hadn’t been permitted to vote. And in this election, the mayor himself was running in a primary for a state senate seat. Mrs. Cunningham was essentially moving to have her ballot declared valid.
The case had to be heard by a judge on duty, and I had to go represent the state’s position. Based on a technical reading of the election laws, I had no choice but to oppose Mrs. Cunningham’s motion, even though I thought my position was dumb and I was sure the judge would disagree with me.
So on one side of the courtroom were Mayor Cunningham, Mrs. Cunningham, and their lawyer, and on the other side of the courtroom was me.
When it was my turn to speak, I said a couple of sentences about the legal reasons for opposing Mrs. Cunningham’s motion. I felt like an ass, standing there opposing the mayor and his wife on a technicality, but I had to do it. Guess I’ll never be getting any favors from City Hall, I thought.
The judge, of course, allowed Mrs. Cunningham to vote.
So that’s the story of how I met the mayor.
Rest in peace, Mayor Cunningham.
I’m sure that everyone in that room understood that you were just there doing your job. That’s what our system is about…somebody has to represent even the most unpopular of views. The citizens of NJ are lucky to have you.
Glenn Cunningham was what I consider to be a good friend. I will always take this view although I moved my family out of Jersey City several years ago and only sleep there a few nights a month.
The people of Jersey City don’t know what a good friend they lost when Glenn left this world. He wore his heart on his sleeve and alweays did the right thing for us.
I had a lot of laughs and a lot of frustration as he was a minority voice on the council when when dealing with several
administrations.
I knew his beautiful wife for many years and Glenn had met his soulmate that only fulfilled his happiness as a successful, complete human being.
I can’t believe he’s gone and wish all who loved him peace that I’m sure he now has, God bless, and best to all who feel the void that I know exists