FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2026

Anderson Calls for Immediate Transparency and a New Date for Clifton’s Ballot Box

City Council candidate seeks public explanation after conflicting communications over cancellation and postponement

CLIFTON, N.J. — Clifton City Council candidate Tafari K. Anderson is calling on Committee Chairman George Silva to provide a clear, immediate, and public explanation regarding the handling of the Ballot Box candidate event and to announce a new date without further delay.

According to Anderson, candidates received written notification on September 3 stating that the Ballot Box would take place on September 26 and asking candidates to review their schedules and assigned times. Anderson said candidates adjusted personal, professional, and campaign obligations in reliance on that notice.

Anderson further stated that on September 17, Silva publicly described the Ballot Box as canceled, while a September 24 communication to candidates described the event as postponed because of weather concerns and reports of a potentially serious nor’easter, with public safety cited as the reason.

“Those two explanations raise a basic question that deserves a straightforward answer,” Anderson said. “If weather was the reason given for postponing the event on September 24, why had it already been publicly described as canceled a full week earlier?”

Anderson also pointed to other events publicly scheduled in Clifton for September 26. The Passaic County Democrats listed a Clifton Democratic campaign headquarters grand opening at 567 Van Houten Avenue, while the City of Clifton calendar listed a Mexican flag-raising ceremony at City Hall that afternoon.

Anderson said he is also seeking clarification regarding Silva’s reported attendance at the Democratic campaign event, a point Anderson said further underscores the need for a complete public explanation of how the Ballot Box decision was made.

“This is not about creating controversy over a scheduling issue,” Anderson said. “It is about whether candidates and residents can rely on a process that is administered consistently, transparently, and fairly.”

Anderson said the Ballot Box is intended to give Clifton residents an opportunity to hear directly from candidates seeking their votes. In his view, the absence of a replacement date, combined with differing public explanations, has created unnecessary uncertainty for candidates and the public.

Anderson Requests Answers to Five Questions

1. What is the new date for the Ballot Box?
2. When will every candidate receive formal written notification of the new date and schedule?
3. Why was the event publicly described as canceled on September 17 if weather was later cited on September 24 as the reason for postponement?
4. How did the committee assess the safety concerns surrounding the Ballot Box in light of other publicly scheduled events in the immediate area on September 26?
5. What steps will be taken to ensure that every candidate is treated equally and receives timely, consistent information going forward?

“Candidates should not have to chase down basic information, and Clifton residents should not have to wonder why the explanation changed,” Anderson said. “The public deserves straightforward answers, transparency, and a new Ballot Box date without further delay.”

About Tafari K. Anderson

Tafari K. Anderson is a candidate for Clifton City Council. His campaign focuses on fiscal responsibility, public safety, transparent government, responsible development, strong infrastructure, and improving quality of life for Clifton families.

Campaign Contact

Paid for by Friends for Tafari Anderson, P.O. Box 2887, Clifton, NJ 07015.

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