A heated runoff for a Hoboken council seat in the First Ward has escalated, with political intrigue and allegations of vote-buying.

The latest focus is accusations that residents in a 1st Ave apartment building were offered $50 for vote-by-mail ballots to sway the election in favor of run-off candidate Paul Presinzano. Supporters of Presinzano’s opponent, Rafi Cordova, helped tenants in the building send a letter to New Jersey’s attorney general asking for an investigation.

Presinzano’s supporters contend it’s a smear campaign timed with the mailing of vote by mail ballots. City Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher sent her own letter to the state attorney general calling for an investigation.

Micah Rasmussen of Rider University said the stakes are high in the Dec. 5 runoff: “Council control is on the line, which faction is going to govern city council for the next number of years is on the line. And so it’s not an unimportant runoff election here.”

“Voters are going to have to do the best they can to sort this out,” he said.