While four board members wore white corsages for their swearing in ceremony at the Hoboken Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, a couple members of the audience may have preferred to wear red boxing gloves.

During the public comment portion of the meeting Patricia Waiters, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the board, said the election had been stolen.

"I'm no sore loser, I have legitimate reasons to be upset," she said. "The election was ran political as usual and I don't think it should be the case when it comes to our children's education."

Waiters claimed that multiple voting machines, used primarily by Hoboken's seniors, had malfunctioned or been moved at the last minute. She said that she would contest the election results. She also called out Irene Sobolov, who was sworn in for a new three-year term.

Liz Mulholland used her turn addressing the board to defend Sobolov.

"I find it extremely offensive that anyone would denigrate her contribution to the community," Mulholland said into the microphone as she and Waiters, seated next to the podium, exchanged heated words.

After the meeting Sobolov noted that her children and Waiters' children attend the same school and sounded a conciliatory tone.

"People have the right to their opinion," she said. "We all have to work together. I'd rather it be through cooperation."

At the start of the meeting Sobolov and three others were sworn in to thunderous applause by the standing-room only crowd in attendance.

New board member Jean Marie Mitchell said that she was excited to begin her one-year term.

"It was wonderful seeing so many familiar faces but what was shocking was looking at them from a different perspective," she said.

Hoboken mayor Dawn Zimmer snapped photographs of Marie Mitchell as she recited her oath.

Leon Gold, who was sworn in for a new three-year term, said he was honored.

"It sounds like common talk but it's great to be a part of the process," he said. "It will take me a few meetings to know what I'm doing."

Rose Marie Markle was also sworn in for a three-year term, and then the board voted to make her president for a second consecutive year.

"I think it's great that they think I have the ability and did a good job," she said.

New vice president Theresa Minutillo said that she looked forward to working with Markle.

"Rose and I have been advocating for Hoboken students ever since we met, so it's very appropriate that she and I are together working on these issues," she said.

The board passed a host of official business including designating TD Bank as depository for funds for the school board, readopting policies, by-laws and rules in the district's official policy manual, and contracts for goods and services with more than two-dozen businesses.

Before the board passed accepting the curriculum for the upcoming school year, board member Maureen Sullivan advocated updating descriptions of the curriculum on the city's website because it includes references to a international baccalaureate mid-year program that has been cut due to budget constraints.

She described the curriculum's wording as, "gobbledygook."

Interim board superintendent Peter E. Carter said the curriculum committee would review the text.