Paterson's 2nd Ward council race could be among the closest contests on May 14. Here' why

PATERSON — Incumbent Shahin Khalique has undergone a political transformation since the last time he ran for the 2nd Ward City Council seat in 2020.

Back then, Khalique was among Mayor Andre Sayegh’s critics and adversaries. Now Khalique stands firmly among Sayegh’s political allies.

“I’m so happy the mayor is supporting my election,” Khalique said. “I agree with his vision for the city.”

But Khalique’s two opponents in the 2nd Ward contest — Frank Filippelli and Aheya Khan — said the incumbent agrees with the mayor far too much.

“I don’t see any checks and balances on the mayor,” Khan said of Khalique’s support for Sayegh. “He doesn’t ask any questions.”

Political insiders are predicting the 2nd Ward will be one of the closest contests in Paterson’s council elections on May 14.

Shahin Khalique's prior wins didn't come easily

Khalique’s two previous victories hardly came easily for him. He finished in a tie with Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman in the May 2020 race, forcing a special election that he won by 100 votes despite the fact that two of his campaign workers — including one of his brothers — had been charged with voter fraud.

Four years before that, Khalique beat Akhtaruzzaman by 20 votes in the initial results, but then endured a grueling 10-month trial in a lawsuit filed by his rival. The judge in that case disqualified 22 Khalique ballots, seemingly putting Akhtaruzzaman in the lead. Then five weeks later the judge nullified three Akhtaruzzman votes, making Khalique the winner.

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Khalique owns a bus company, Northern Star, that handles student transportation contracts for various school districts. He also has served on the city Planning Board.

Candidates from competing factions in Paterson’s Bangladeshi community have dominated recent 2nd Ward elections, getting almost 89% of the votes in May 2020 and about 70% in 2016.

Akhtaruzzman — who became the first Bangladeshi American elected to the council in 2012 — has decided not to run.

Challenger Aheya Khan says incumbent out of touch with issues

Khan, who was one of Akhtaruzzaman’s top campaign workers, argued that Khalique is out of touch with the issues affecting the 2nd Ward. The challenger cited drag racing on Chadwick Avenue, sewer backups on Totowa Avenue, and a proposed 72-unit apartment building on a dead-end street in the Stoney Road section.

“Every neighborhood has a different problem,” Khan said.

But Khalique sees things differently.

“Paterson is in progress mode,” the councilman said, echoing pronouncements by the mayor. “I think things are improving. It’s a process. It takes time.”

Khalique cited the reduction in abandoned properties from 1,400 to 200 over the past six years — the time Sayegh has been in office. He also talked about upcoming road paving work and recreation improvements, including a $15 million plan to renovate Westside Park.

Besides getting support from Sayegh, Khalique has the backing of Councilwoman Maritza Davila, who holds one of the “at large” citywide seats on the governing body that are not up for election this year.

Meanwhile, Khan is supported by the other Bangladeshi American on the council, Md Forid Uddin, and former Mayor Joey Torres is doing a Dunkin’ Donuts meet-and-greet with Khan.

Khan said he owns a towing firm and works part-time for an online auto parts distribution business. He previously was on Paterson's Board of Adjustment but left amid a controversy over alleged anti-Islamic statements by other board members.

Challenger Frank Filippelli says vote-by-mail efforts 'shady'

Filippelli — who got 11% of the vote in the May 2020 election — said his opponents have “an unfair advantage” because of their political connections. But that doesn’t bother him, he said.

“I’m fighting for what the people want,” he asserted.

Filippelli is a member of the carpenters union. He served for more than 10 years on Paterson's Urban Enterprise Zone board and also has been involved with the city's youth council.

Filippelli said vote-by-mail efforts by 2nd Ward candidates in recent races have become a “shady” tactic, expressing disappointment that the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office dropped its election fraud charges against Khalique’s campaign workers.

Filippelli also bemoaned the brawling nature of City Council meetings. “If I’m elected,” he said, “I’m not going to allow that to happen. I’m going to be the mediator.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson Council election could be very close race for Shahin Khalique