BY WALTER ELLIOTT
NEWARK – Registered Democratic and Republican party voters have already been making their June 2 primary election choices known since in-person early voting stations opened on May 26 and Vote By Mail Ballots were deposited even earlier.
There will be at least five new candidates on the county and municipal levels to be sworn-in on or around Jan. 1. Those incumbents have decided to retire or otherwise not seek re-election.
Whether there will be other changes of representatives on the local, county and/or Congressional level will be up to voters until the 8 p.m. June 2 pools close. VBMBs are given five days’ grace to reach the County Clerk Election Division office here so long as they are postmarked on or before that Tuesday.
There are some races that almost appear to be reruns. Part of that impression comes from one party or a party faction not filing a challenger candidate.
The incumbent New Jersey 11th Congressional District Congresswoman is facing at least one same primary and one same general election challenger for the second time this year.
One question awaiting voters’ answer is, “How many 16- and 17- year-olds will vote in the primaries?” High school upper class members have been allowed by recent state law to register and vote in party primaries as well as school board of education elections in Newark.
US CONGRESS
Democratic incumbent Cory A. Booker (Newark), who has Essex County Democratic Committee endorsement, is running without any balloted primary challengers.
Republican voters have to choose one out of four runners. They are in alphabetical order: Englewood doctor Robert S. Lebovics, “America First Always,” Former Tabernacle Committeeman Justin Murphy, “American Conservative Republican,” State Trooper Richard Tabor, of Elizabeth, “By the People, for the People,” and former News 12 reporter Alex Zdan, of Robbinsville.
HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
N.J. 11th Congressional District (Includes West Orange, South Orange, Maplewood, Bloomfield, “Upper Montclair,” Glen Ridge, Belleville, Nutley plus seven “West Essex,” four Passaic County and 28 Morris County towns whole or in part):
Some of this district’s voters may first look at the ballot and recall the late Montclair resident, baseball hall of famer and philosopher Yogi Berra’s “It’s deja vu all over again.”
Indeed, some – but not all – of the balloted names ran in the special February and April elections to succeed now-Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair).
The Democratic primary has newly-incumbent Analilia Mejia, of Glen Ridge, going up against three new-and-old challengers.
The opponents are: Former Morristown mayor Donald Cresitello, “Democrat with Experience: Municipal, Business, International,” Montville’s Joseph B. Lewis II, “Fighting to Fix a Broken Economy,” Chatham Borough Councilman Justin Strickland, “Universal Healthcare and Term Limits.” Republican challenger and former Randolph mayor Joseph Hathaway, “Endorsed by Essex County Republican Party,” makes his second straight run.
NJ 10th CD (Irvington, East Orange, Orange, West Orange, “Lower Montclair,” parts of Newark plus three “West Essex,” eight Union County towns plus part of Hudson County’s Jersey City):
Incumbent LaMonica McIver (D-Newark, ECDC) is facing an immediate party challenger – and a second one in the November General Election.
The Democratic challenger is West Orange’s Lawrence Poster. Nutley native Republican Carmen Bucco is running unopposed.
NJ Eighth CD (Newark’s East and South wards plus Union County’s Elizabeth and 11 Hudson County towns whole or in part):
The Democratic primary has incumbent Rob Menendez (Union City, ECDC) facing former Jersey City Board of Education President Mussab Ali, “Choose Change.” No petitions for a Republican were filed.
ESSEX COUNTY
County Executive
Both incumbent County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, (D-Roseland) and the challenging Maritita Mathews (R-Newark) are running unchallenged. They are respectively endorsed by the ECDC and the ECRP.
There will be at least three new faces on next year’s nine-member Essex County Board of Commissioners. At-large Commissioners Brendan Gill, of Montclair and Patricia Seabold, of Livingston and Romaine Sermons, of Irvington, plus Third Ward Commissioner Tyshammie Cooper, of East Orange, have decided to retire or otherwise declined re-election.
At-Large County Commissioner
The At-Large commissioner field (Choose Four): have nine overall candidates on the ballot.
The Democratic ballot has five candidates from three party platforms: Former Maplewood Mayor Deborah Engel is running under the “Essex Reform Democrats” banner.
Former Newark Board of Education member Marques Aquil-Lewis is running with city mayor Ras J. Baraka’s “Moving Essex Forward” platform.
Running on the ECDC ticket are Livingston mayor Shawn Klien, sole incumbent and Newerker Wayne Richardson and West Orange Fire Captain Abdur Yasin.
There are four ECRP-endorsed Republican candidates: Demettrius Eley, of East Orange; Daniella Ferriera Almedia, of Newark) Sahwa DeFrank, of Nutley and Douglas Freeman, of Roseland.
Ward Commissioners (Choose One)
District 1 (Newark’s East and North Wards plus parts of Central, South and West wards):
Newcomer Wilson A. Pirchardo appears to be running unopposed for the Democratic party nomination and in the General Election. The ECRP did not file a candidate.
District 2 (Irvington, Maplewood, parts of Newark’s South and West Wards):
Incumbent Democrat A’Dorian Murray-Thomas appears to be running unopposed here and in November.
District 3 (East Orange, Orange, South Orange, Part of Newark’s Central Ward):
Outgoing East Orange Board of Education member Medinah Muhammad (ECDC) is running for Democratic voters’ nomination. No Republican Party candidates were entered.
District 4 (West Orange and “West Essex”)
Both incumbent Democrat Leonard Luciano and Republic challenger Adam Kramer, both from West Orange, are seeking their respective party faithfuls’ nods.
District 5 (Bloomfield, Montclair, Glen Ridge, Belleville, Nutley):
Seeking respective party nominations by voters are incumbent Carlos Pomares, of Bloomfield, and Frank Contella, of Nutley.
MUNICIPAL RACES
Ward Council (Choose One)
The following city and county-endorsed incumbents appear to be running unopposed: In East Orange, Amy Lewis (First Ward), Sammed R. Monk (Second Ward), Vernon Pullins, Jr. (Third Ward), Casim Gomez, Sr. (Fourth Ward) and Naima H. Fauntleroy (Fifth Ward).
Maplewood Township Committee (Pick Two) has three candidates vying for Democratic nomination; incumbent Victor De Luca and newcomers Martin Ceperley and John Sullivan. Committeeman and former mayor Dean Dafis has declined re-election.
The township’s Republican committee did not file a candidate.
There are seven candidates vying for Bloomfield Township Council’s three ward seats. Six of the candidates are on opposing slates – one backed by the township and county party committees and the others on a progressive or reform platform.
First Ward incumbent councilwoman Rosalee Gonzalez (ECDC) is seeking re-election against Stefanie Santiago (Bloomfield for Progress).
There is a three-way Second Ward race among Greg Babula (BFP), Paul Bonica (Essex Reform Democrats) and Jason Martinez (ECDC). Incumbent Nicholas Joanow has declined running for re-election.
Third Ward incumbent councilwoman Sarah Cruz (ECDC) is facing off against Stef Bootwala (BFP).
There will be no two Glen Ridge Borough Council seats, due to be open Jan. 1, 2027, on June 2’s ballot. The borough uniquely waits for candidates to file for the November General Election ballot – with or without Civic Conference Committee endorsement.
In-person early voting at the nine designated polling stations in six “Local Talk” towns are to end at 6 p.m. May 31. Please consult essexclerk.com for said station addresses and hours.
