Status quo or a brand-new direction? This November, Ward 2 voters actually have a decision to make. A last-minute write-in campaign has turned a routine Secaucus election into a real race.
Municipal elections in Secaucus have often featured uncontested races. While incumbent Councilman James Clancy appears on the official ballot line, resident David Kraatz announced a write-in campaign at the October 13 Town Council meeting.
To help Ward 2 residents make an informed decision on Election Day, the Secaucus Scoop invited both candidates to answer a written Q&A.
The Candidates
James J. Clancy Sr., 2nd Ward Councilman (incumbent)
David Kraatz, write-in candidate
To reach Councilman Clancy, email jclancy@secaucus.net.
Q1: Can you share a brief overview of your background and what motivated you to seek a seat on the Town Council in this election?
James Clancy: I am a lifelong resident of Secaucus, married 52 years, father of 2 sons and grandfather to 5 grandchildren. I am a retired Social Studies teacher (34 years) at Secaucus Middle/High School, teaching students not only the history of our nation, but more importantly about how to be an involved citizen. Along the way, I also taught some students how to drive! Now it’s fulfilling to see my students being active and successful in their careers and am touched when they see me somewhere and talk about the time when they were my students.
I also served in the United States Army Reserve for 6 years. I am constantly inspired by fellow citizens and find ways to continue serving our community and our amazing Town.
- Town Council member from 1986-1993, and from 2009 to present
- Charter Member, Knights of Columbus, Mary Immaculate Council, Secaucus
- 4th Degree Knights of Columbus
- Former Member, Secaucus Little League
- Former Director of Secaucus Jaycees
- Town Council Liaison to Secaucus Fire Department
- Currently Town Council Liaison to Secaucus Police Department
I have been living in Secaucus my entire life, see first-hand what is offered to our town residents and I want to see them continue. I am proud of the close-knit community that we are, happy about the many amenities, facilities and programs our Town has to offer, and honored to be part of the Town Council’s accomplishments over the last 16 years. I feel the best way to keep contributing to our great Town is to become an elected official.
David Kraatz: I’m a former small business owner and retired government employee. The lack of transparency and the fact that the town is allowing data centers directly across the street from a residential neighborhood and ball field.
Q2: What would you do differently from the current council, and what experience shows you can deliver on it?
David Kraatz: I would encourage members of the community to meet with me outside of council meetings so we can discuss how I can better be their voice.
Q2: What accomplishment from your time on the council are you most proud of, and what is one decision or project you would handle differently?
James Clancy: There are a number of accomplishments in the past decade and a half that would not be possible without the Mayor and every Town Council member working together—no politics, no partisanship, no personal agendas—just town residents working together for the collective good of our community. When members of the Town Council have differences of opinion, we engage, we discuss respectfully, and we come up with a reasonable solution that works for our Town in the long term. That’s our biggest achievement.
There are constant improvements to accommodate the needs of our growing community—well maintained infrastructure, amazing programs for residents of all ages, recreational and community facilities that are top-notch, solutions to traffic and parking conditions throughout Town, increased safety and security for our residents and businesses, infrastructure improvements to reduce flooding and ensure open spaces—all while keeping taxes relatively stable. Along the way, we also handled challenges such as superstorm Sandy, and Irene before that.
Because of the uniquely collaborative way this Town Council works, I can’t think of any way that I would handle things differently.
Q3: When you talk to neighbors across town, what are the top 2 or 3 issues facing Secaucus today?
James Clancy: I am privileged to have many conversations with residents, not just in Ward 2, but also across Town. On a day-to-day level, traffic and speeding on local streets in certain areas keeps getting raised. And the issue of a supermarket also comes up—I wish the Town could get one. More recently, some residents are also bringing up the issue of data centers.
David Kraatz: Industry encroaching on neighborhoods, Lack of government support for the people and population growth.
Q4: Data center projects have drawn significant attention and debate among Secaucus residents. How would you make sure residents get accurate, timely information about these projects, and what questions do you hear most often from residents about them?
David Kraatz: The town has a monthly news letter, we can easily drop a few Q&As in there every month on various topics. I would also try making arrangements with one of the data centers to have citizen tours.
James Clancy: Yes, over the past two months there has been an intense debate among some residents about data centers and their impact on the Town. That issue has been a hot topic across the nation and I think the attention it is getting is because of the hyperscale, AI data centers. Secaucus has had data centers for over 2 decades and those businesses have been good addition to the Town. We are not technical experts and when residents raised certain questions and concerns, the Mayor and Town Council promised to get answers—which we did. We share responses at Town Council meetings and on our website and social media.
Q5: Five years from now, what do you want Secaucus to look like, and why should residents give you their vote in this election?
James Clancy: Five years from now, I would want our residents to still have pride in our Town, be unified, welcoming and have the same close-knit community feel as today. As we continue to grow, we will have changes. I will continue to help create a path forward, adapt and embrace those changes and maintain, and even enhance, the quality of life that our residents expect and deserve. This Mayor, and Town Council have worked hard to provide this to our residents and as long as I am a council member, I will continue to work towards that with honesty and transparency. I will continue to be available; residents can call or text me anytime with any issues and concerns. If I don’t have an answer right away, I will look into it and get answers for them.
David Kraatz: We’re no longer a small town, we have huge industry players, it’s time that we employ engineers and an environmental professional to pace with our industrial growth. We can manage both industry and family if we plan carefully.
Q6: If elected, how do you plan to stay accessible to residents and ensure that everyday community feedback directly influences your votes on the council?
David Kraatz: My plan is to hold open meetings at some public space such as the library and various times of the day. This way persons that work nights aren’t left without a voice.
James Clancy: As residents already know, I am accessible any time. They can call or text me and I will respond. If they have any issues or problems, I will discuss it with the Mayor and other council members to come up with a solution that works for our residents. If elected, I will continue to represent the people as I always have.
With the election just a little over a week away, will Ward 2 voters choose to keep the town council as is, or shake things up?
How to Vote in Secaucus Ward 2: Early Voting, Mail-In and Write-In
- Election Day: Tuesday, November 3. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Early Voting: In-person early voting runs Saturday, October 24, through Sunday, November 1, at the Secaucus Recreation Center, 1200 Koelle Boulevard. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Hudson County voters can also use any other early voting site in the county.
- Mail-In Ballots: Mail-in ballots can be returned to the secure drop box in front of Town Hall, 1203 Paterson Plank Road, until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- Where to Vote: Find your Election Day polling place and confirm your ward with the state’s Polling Place Search Tool.
- Write-In Voting: To vote for David Kraatz on the voting machine, select the “Write-In” box in the Personal Choice column, across from the Ward 2 Town Council line. Type David Kraatz on the on-screen keyboard and touch “Accept.” His name will then appear on your ballot.
Our Methodology & Editorial Guidelines
To ensure complete fairness, both candidates were given identical participation rules:
- Question Structure: Each candidate received six written questions: five shared questions covering their background, top town issues, data centers, their vision for Secaucus and accessibility, along with one question tailored to their current position (incumbent vs. challenger).
- Equal Deadline & Conditions: Both candidates received the same guidelines, including a 150-word limit per answer and a deadline of October 22 at 5 p.m. Neither candidate saw the other’s answers before publication.
- Word Limit: Councilman Clancy’s answers to Q1 and Q2 ran longer than the 150-word limit. They are published in full.
- Verbatim Publishing: Submitted answers are published verbatim, with changes limited to basic formatting and obvious typos, to allow voters to hear directly from the candidates in their own words.
- Answer Order: The order in which candidates’ answers appear alternates from question to question.