Erin Lanahan 
The new leaders of Hoboken + Jersey City are set to be sworn in on Thursday, January 15th, 2026. The mayors-elect are not new to our corner of Hudson County: Hoboken Mayor-elect Emily Jabbour served two terms on the Hoboken City Council and Jersey City Mayor-elect James Solomon served two terms on the Jersey City Council. It’s a shift in leadership, as the last Mayor of Hoboken, Ravi Bhalla, was elected in 2017, and in Jersey City, Mayor Steven Fulop took office in 2013. Read on to learn about the incoming mayors of Hoboken + Jersey City.
Hoboken Mayor-Elect Emily Jabbour
Emily Jabour served two four-year terms as an at-large councilmember for Hoboken. She was initially elected to the Hoboken City Council in 2017, then re-elected in 2021. Emily has been a part of several committees with the City, such as being Chair of the Parking and Transportation committee and working with Climate Action + Innovation and Parks, Recreation and Public Works.
Emily is originally from the Boston, Massachusetts, area and moved to Hoboken in the fall of 2008. She graduated from Boston College in 2003 with a B.A. in Psychology. She then graduated from Columbia’s School of Social Work in 2006 with a Master of Science in Social Work with a policy focus and Law Minor. Her resume includes her time as a civil servant for the U.S. Department of Health + Human Services in the Administration for Children and Families. Her federal career began through the Presidential Management Fellows program, where she completed a six month detail assignment with the United States House of Representatives as a Health Fellow for the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Health Subcommittee. Emily is the mother to two daughters with her husband, a lifelong Jersey resident, Peter Jabbour.
Emily’s mayoral campaign platform included affordable housing, accessible and transparent government, public safety, and more. On her page, Emily says, “Hoboken has come such a long way over the years, but there is still so much work to be done to make this special city an even better place to live, work, and raise a family. And as a mom, you better believe I’ve got a long to-do list with new ideas to continue improving our community.”
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Emily has shown her dedication to the Hoboken community over the years with her commitment to service. She supports the Hoboken Public Education Foundation, served as a mentor with the local group True Mentors, and has been a liaison to the HOPES Program for the Brandt Parent Consortium. Emily founded the Hudson County Chapter of Moms Demand Action, a grassroots advocacy organization focused on preventing gun violence. The organization Moms Demand Action has chapters in every state and Washington D.C., and is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with nearly 11 million supporters. As a result of Emily’s work, the Hoboken Police Department now distributes free gun locks with all permits issued, plus firearm safety materials encouraging proper storage and care. Emily is also trained in the Be Smart curriculum, which encourages responsible gun ownership in order to reduce the deaths, injuries and trauma that can result when a child is able to access a gun.
Emily Jabbour is taking the reins as Mayor from Ravi Bhalla. Ravi served as Mayor of Hoboken for two terms, elected in 2017 and then re-elected for a second term in 2021. He announced he would not seek re-election for a third term in January of 2025, instead running for and winning the open State Assembly seat for New Jersey’s 32nd legislative district. Before becoming Mayor, Ravi served eight years on the Hoboken City Council.
Emily Jabbour will be sworn in as the 40th Mayor of Hoboken on January 15th, 2026, at 1PM. Steve Firestone, Caitlin Layson, and Councilman Joe Quintero will also be sworn into Hoboken City Council during the ceremony.
Jersey City Mayor-Elect James Solomon
James Solomon served two terms as councilperson for the Jersey City Council, representing Ward E in Downtown Jersey City. James believes in making Jersey City, “a place that supports all families, not just the well-connected.” His platform includes affordable housing, good schools, more transparency for developers, racial justice for all residents and families, and keeping sidewalks and streets secure and clear of trash.
Before he moved to Jersey City, James served as an aide to the Mayor of Boston. He earned his Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and his B.A. from Pomona College. James is a cancer survivor; He was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma back in 2015 and is completely healthy today. James and his wife, Gabrielle Ramos-Solomon, have three daughters.
James is taking over for Steven Fulop, the 49th mayor of Jersey City. He was elected in 2013 and served three terms. Similar to James, Steven was the Councilman for Jersey City’s Ward E from 2005 to 2013. In 2023, he announced his candidacy for Governor of New Jersey, but lost in the Democratic primary election.
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James Solomon will be sworn in as Mayor of Jersey City on January 15th, 2026, at 7PM. In the inauguration ceremony announcement on Instagram, Jersey City wrote, “A new chapter begins for Jersey City. See you there.” The ceremony will be livestreamed on Instagram and Facebook.
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