Atlantic City Mayor Has Craig Callaway To Thank For This One!

This one is dripping in political irony.

Atlantic City, New Jersey Mayor Marty Small has Craig Callaway to thank for his chosen candidate for City Council getting to stay on the June, 2023 Democratic Primary Election ballot.

Callaway and Small have been fierce political adversaries for many years.

On this occasion, Small owes Callaway entirely for the fact that Viana Vi Bailey will be able to stay on the election ballot for city council in the 2nd ward.

Atlantic City Solicitor Robert Tarver is correct regarding the legal opinion that he provided to City Clerk Paul Geletei.

A number of years ago, when Craig Callaway was running for 3rd Ward Councilman, he moved away from the third ward, however, he retained his residency in Atlantic City.

Again, in a splash of irony, the City of Atlantic City ruled that Callaway could not run for the 3rd ward seat, because he did not live in the 3rd ward.

The state of New Jersey backed Callaway’s exclusion from the ballot.

Callaway appealed the ruling federally to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

Callaway won his appeal and was able to run in the 3rd Ward, despite not living there. Callaway was successful and won the election.

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the ward boundary lines didn’t matter.

I voiced my public disagreement with this federal ruling then … because why would you have specific ward council seats if the boundaries didn’t matter?

Why isn’t the Atlantic City Council made up of nine members who are elected at large, meaning city wide. Why have ward council representation, if you don’t have to live in the ward that you represent?

However, that basic logic is moot.

Below, is a copy of the Paula Geletei letter to 2nd ward councilwoman LaToya Dunston … advising her that the Callaway precedent will be applied to this matter.

Bailey will remain on the ballot. We also believe that Atlantic County democrat chairman Michael Suleiman will award Bailey the coveted regular Democratic ballot position over the incumbent Dunston.

This will be a reversal of the position that Suleiman has always taken. He has often stated that he awards the regular line to incumbent democrat candidates regardless of who the Atlantic City democratic party endorses.

Here is the Geletei letter, which includes the Robert Tarver legal opinion.