BY WALTER ELLIOTT
PHOTO BY FELICIA LAGUERRE OWENS
TRENTON – Gov. Phil Murphy – by announcing, on Nov. 20, Feb. 5 and April 16 as Congressional District 11 special primary and general election dates to succeed Mikie Sherrill – has started the 2026 election season early.
Murphy (D-Rumson) called the dates the morning after Sherrill (D-Montclair) had officially resigned her House of Representatives seat 11:59 p.m. Nov. 19. Her stepping down is part of her transition to become New Jersey’s 57th governor on Jan. 20 – thanks to a majority statewide Nov. 4 General Election voters’ selection.
Sherrill’s departure from Capitol Hill started a 30-day countdown clock on Murphy to issue that writ of special election. His Feb. 5 primary election setting gives prospective primary candidates until Dec. 1 to attain at least 500 signatures onto to their petitions and to file them with county clerk – election division offices in Newark and 20 other counties.
Feb. 1 in-person early voting is to be Jan. 29-Feb. 3. Voting by mail will start as soon as their ballots have their candidate fields set.
Feb. 3 is the filing deadline for independent and “minor party” candidates for the April 16 special general election. These candidates have until 4 p.m. that day to file petitions with at least 250 signatures.
General election in-person early voting is to be on April 6-14. Vote by mail is to start upon mailing of said ballots.
Murphy’s writ of special election within 24 hours of Sherrill’s Congressional legislation means that her House of Representatives seat, as of press time, remains vacant. The Governor has not announced appointing a “caretaker,” who would not be running in the special elections in CD-11.
Murphy’s next day writ makes moot State Sen. John McKeon’s proposed amendment on shortening the governor’s appointment window. McKeon (D-West Orange) wanted to cut that window to 10 business days.
CD-11, which Sherrill was first elected to in 2018, consists of 56 Essex, Morris and Passaic in whole or in part. The post-2020 Census redrawing included South Orange, Maplewood, Bloomfield, Montclair’s Upper Montclair section, Glen Ridge, Belleville and Nutley.
The Feb. 5 and April 16, 2026 election dates slightly overlap the almost-done 2025 election season. Montclair voters are to decide on two public school budget questions Dec. 9. Voters in Hillside and Jersey City have Dec. 2 runoff elections to decide.
The Feb. 5 primary field, since Nov. 5, has grown to 12 Democratic candidates and one Republican candidate as of press time. Those getting petitions signed, organizing campaigns and/or receiving endorsements include:
Republican Primary
Joseph Hathaway – Mayor of Randolph has the endorsement of 18 Morris County municipal officials and GOP chairman, including three Randolph councilmen plus the mayors of Florham Park, Hanover and Jefferson.
Democratic Primary (in alphabetical order)
John Bartlett – Wayne attorney, current Passaic County Commission and Harvard Law School graduate. Bartlett has been endorsed by the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association.
Zach Beecher – Morristown venture capitalist is an Iraqi war paratrooper.
J-L Cauvin – Bloomfield lawyer and internet personality known for his President Trump impressions makes first serious run.
Marc Chaaban – Montville social content creator who was a former Sherrill intern.
Cammie Croft – Montclair advocacy group Chief Community Officer was Deputy New Media Director in the President Barack Obama White House.
Dean Dafis – Maplewood Township Committeeman and former mayor is director of the state’s Office of Eviction and Homelessness Prevention.
Brendan Gill – Montclair’s Essex County Commission district representative and former Commission President managed Murphy’s 2017 gubernatorial campaign. Retail Warehouse and Department Store Union Local No. 108, the state Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Modia Butler, advisor to U.S. Sen. Cory A. Booker are among his endorsers.
Jeff Grayzel – was Morris Township’s mayor, deputy mayor and township committeeman since 2007.
Tom Malinowski – Ringoes resident was CD-7 Congressman 2017-23 and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State. Murphy, U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, FP Action Network and Action Together NJ are among his endorsers.
Justin Strickland – Chatham Borough Councilman was a former Pentagon official, veteran and security expert.
Tanesha Way – Wayne resident and former Passaic County Commissioner was appointed to succeed the late Sheila Y. Oliver, of East Orange, as Lt. Governor and Secretary of State.
Anna Lee Williams – Morristown social justice activist who started her campaign in July.
