Mamta Singh becomes first Indian American elected in Jersey City

In a milestone moment for one of America’s most vibrant Indian American hubs, Mamta Singh has etched her name into Jersey City’s history. This week, she captured a Council At-Large seat, becoming the first Indian American ever elected to public office in a city long shaped by the energy, entrepreneurship and cultural footprint of its vast diaspora.

Her victory arrived on a night of political transformation, as reformist Council member James Solomon swept the mayoral runoff with a resounding mandate. Yet amid the shifting tides, it was Singh’s ascent that shimmered as the evening’s most poignant breakthrough — a long-awaited moment of visibility for a community that has helped weave the city’s character for decades.

Jersey City — with its bustling Indian businesses, festivals, temples and family-run shops across Journal Square, Exchange Place and the famed “Little India” around India Square — has for years been home to tens of thousands of Indian Americans. Still, no member of this community had ever stepped into the halls of City Hall as an elected representative. Singh’s win finally closes that chapter of absence.

Running on Solomon’s “Team Solomon” slate with Rolando Lavarro and Michael Griffin, Singh campaigned on stabilising property taxes, expanding recreation opportunities for youth and broadening support for working families. But it was her deep roots in community advocacy that stirred the strongest connection with diaspora households.

A nonprofit leader and organiser, Singh founded JCFamilies, one of the city’s most influential grassroots networks supporting women, children and working parents. She also created Indians In Jersey City, a group that both uplifts immigrant families and nurtures cultural continuity through festivals, gatherings and public conversations. Over the years, she emerged as an indispensable guide for newcomers — a bridge between recent arrivals and longtime residents trying to navigate schools, services and the rhythms of urban life.

Singh’s historic victory came alongside Solomon’s decisive win over former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey, sealing a night that not only reset the city’s political direction but also illuminated the growing power and presence of its Indian American community.

With IANS inputs