Carmelo Garcia Back on the Ballot as Assembly Candidate

Carmelo Garcia, the executive director of the Hoboken Housing Authority, is back on the ballot this June.

Assignment Judge Peter Bariso ruled earlier this month that — under the Hatch Act — Garcia was not eligible to run for public partisan office.

An appellate court overturned that decision on Tuesday afternoon. The decision was first reported by PolitickerNJ.

"I am gratified," said Garcia, in response to the decision. "I am just really really appreciative of all the prayers and love and energy that I’ve gotten."

Garcia was picked by State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack to run for the office of 33rd District Assemblyman on the Hudson County Democratic Organization line. Ruben Ramos Jr., the current assemblyman who will not seek re-election because he's running for mayor of Hoboken, endorsed Garcia and the rest of the ticket.