Essex County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
17 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 7 Essex County races, led by the Essex County Executive contest.
County offices
ExecutiveJoseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. (D) · Maritza Mathews (R)
Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. (Democratic) and Maritza Mathews (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Essex County Executive.
Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. Democratic Incumbent
Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. is the Essex County Executive, a position he has held since 2002, and is seeking a seventh term in November, per the New Jersey Globe. His administration's stated priorities are infrastructure improvements, public safety, recreational opportunities and economic growth, per the Essex County government website. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr.
Maritza Mathews Republican
Maritza Mathews is the Essex County Republican Party's nominee for county executive. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Maritza Mathews.
Incumbent Democrat Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr., who has held the office since 2002, is seeking a seventh term against Republican nominee Maritza Mathews, who won the June 2, 2026 GOP primary with 5,275 votes, per the New Jersey Globe. Republicans have not won a countywide race in Essex since 1998, per the same report.
Full race pageCommissioner At-LargeChristine McGrath (D) · Abdur R. Yasin (D) · Deborah Engel (D) · Wayne L. Richardson (D) · Demetrius Eley (R) · Daniela Ferreira Almeida (R) · Douglas Freeman (R) · Sahwa DeFrank (R)
Christine McGrath (Democratic), Abdur R. Yasin (Democratic), Deborah Engel (Democratic), Wayne L. Richardson (Democratic), Demetrius Eley (Republican), Daniela Ferreira Almeida (Republican), Douglas Freeman (Republican) and Sahwa DeFrank (Republican) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Essex County Commissioner At-Large.
Christine McGrath Democratic
McGrath has served on the Verona Town Council since 2019 and chairs the Verona Democratic Committee, per search-aggregated local reporting. She has served as president of the Friends of the Verona Library and the Junior Woman's Club, co-created Verona Fights Hunger Week, and has been involved with the gun-violence-prevention group Moms Demand Action, per search-aggregated local reporting. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Christine McGrath.
Abdur R. Yasin Democratic
Yasin is a West Orange fire captain and serves as the West Orange Democratic Municipal Chairman, per search-aggregated local reporting. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Abdur R. Yasin.
Deborah Engel Democratic
- Address rising costs of healthcare, housing, groceries, utilities, insurance and transportation
- Expand shared services between municipalities to cut costs and improve efficiency
- Invest in infrastructure, including complete streets, pedestrian and bike infrastructure, flood mitigation and EV charging
Per the per The Village Green candidate profile.
About Deborah Engel
Deborah Engel is a longtime Maplewood and South Orange community leader who served three years on the Maplewood Township Committee, including one year as deputy mayor, and chaired the board of South Orange Downtown, per The Village Green. She founded two local businesses, Work and Play (a coworking space with childcare) and General Store Cooperative (a co-retail incubator for small businesses), and won her Democratic nomination in June 2026 without the county party's backing. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Deborah Engel.
Wayne L. Richardson Democratic Incumbent
Wayne L. Richardson is the incumbent Essex County Commissioner for one of the four at-large seats and was the only sitting at-large commissioner to seek re-election in 2026, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Wayne L. Richardson.
Demetrius Eley Republican
Demetrius Eley of West Orange is one of four Republican nominees for the four at-large Essex County Commissioner seats, endorsed by the Essex County Republican Party. He previously ran unsuccessfully for the 34th Legislative District Assembly seat, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Demetrius Eley.
Daniela Ferreira Almeida Republican
Daniela Ferreira Almeida is one of four Republican nominees for the four at-large Essex County Commissioner seats, endorsed by the Essex County Republican Party. She previously ran unsuccessfully for the 29th Legislative District Assembly seat, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Daniela Ferreira Almeida.
Douglas Freeman Republican
Douglas Freeman of Newark is one of four Republican nominees for the four at-large Essex County Commissioner seats, endorsed by the Essex County Republican Party, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Douglas Freeman.
Sahwa DeFrank Republican
Sahwa DeFrank of Newark is one of four Republican nominees for the four at-large Essex County Commissioner seats, endorsed by the Essex County Republican Party, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Sahwa DeFrank.
Four at-large seats are on the November 2026 ballot. In the June 2, 2026 Democratic primary, Christine McGrath (38,543 votes), Abdur Yasin (32,657), Deborah Engel (31,211) and incumbent Wayne Richardson (30,549) won the four nominations over Shawn Klein (28,773) and Marques-Aquil Lewis (19,444), per the New Jersey Globe; Engel's win was notable because she lacked the county Democratic organization's backing. Republicans Demetrius Eley, Daniela Ferreira Almeida, Douglas Freeman and Sahwa DeFrank were endorsed by the Essex County Republican Party for the four seats; Republicans have not won an at-large commissioner seat since 1971, per the New Jersey Globe.
Full race pageCommissioner, District 1Wilson Pichardo (D)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Wilson Pichardo (Democratic) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Essex County Commissioner, District 1.
Wilson Pichardo Democratic
Wilson Pichardo is a senior advisor at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the unopposed Democratic nominee for the District 1 Essex County Commissioner seat, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Wilson Pichardo.
No Republican filed; Wilson Pichardo (D) is unopposed in November, per Patch and the New Jersey Globe.
Full race pageCommissioner, District 2A'Dorian Murray-Thomas (D)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
A'Dorian Murray-Thomas (Democratic) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Essex County Commissioner, District 2.
A'Dorian Murray-Thomas Democratic Incumbent
A'Dorian Murray-Thomas is the incumbent Essex County Commissioner for District 2, per the Essex County Clerk's official roster, and is unopposed for re-election in November 2026. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for A'Dorian Murray-Thomas.
No Republican filed; incumbent A'Dorian Murray-Thomas (D) is unopposed in November, per Patch and the New Jersey Globe.
Full race pageCommissioner, District 3Medinah Muhammad (D)
Unopposed: still on your ballot.
Medinah Muhammad (Democratic) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Essex County Commissioner, District 3.
Medinah Muhammad Democratic
- Economic development and affordable housing
- Criminal justice reform
- Gun safety
Per the campaign site.
About Medinah Muhammad
Muhammad is a lifelong Essex County resident with experience in county government, the New Jersey Legislature and the Governor's Office, per her campaign site. She serves on the East Orange Board of Education and holds leadership roles within Essex County and the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, per her campaign site.
No Republican filed; Medinah Muhammad (D) is unopposed in November for this open seat, per the New Jersey Globe.
Full race pageCommissioner, District 4Leonard M. Luciano (D) · Adam Kraemer (R)
Leonard M. Luciano Democratic Incumbent
Leonard M. Luciano has served as the District 4 Essex County Commissioner since 2011 and is seeking re-election in November 2026, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Leonard M. Luciano.
Adam Kraemer Republican
Adam Kraemer is the Republican nominee for the District 4 Essex County Commissioner seat. He previously ran unsuccessfully against incumbent Joseph DiVincenzo for county executive in 2022, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Adam Kraemer.
Incumbent Democrat Leonard Luciano, who has held the seat since 2011, faces Republican Adam Kraemer, per the New Jersey Globe. This contest is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
Full race pageCommissioner, District 5Carlos M. Pomares (D) · Frank Contella (R)
Carlos M. Pomares Democratic Incumbent
- Historic preservation
- Arts advocacy
- Education
Per the campaign site.
About Carlos M. Pomares
Pomares holds a bachelor's degree in history from Caldwell University and a master's degree in museum professions from Seton Hall University, per his campaign site. He worked at King Manor Museum, the NYC Police Museum and the Montclair Historical Society, and has taught history and political science as an adjunct instructor, per his campaign site. He was elected Bloomfield Councilman At-Large in 2013 and has served on the Essex County Board of Commissioners for District 5 since 2017, including as vice president and, since 2025, as board president, per his campaign site. He serves as executive director of the Cuban Artists Fund and on boards including Caldwell University, the President Grover Cleveland Birthplace, the Morris Canal Greenway and the Sanctuary on the Green Alliance, per his campaign site.
Frank Contella Republican
Frank Contella is the Republican nominee for the District 5 Essex County Commissioner seat. He previously ran for state Senate in 2021 and for Essex County Commissioner in 2017, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Frank Contella.
Incumbent Democrat Carlos Pomares, who has held the seat since 2017 and currently serves as board president, faces Republican Frank Contella, per the New Jersey Globe. This contest is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
Full race pageSee your full ballot
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Who is on the ballot in Essex County, New Jersey on November 3, 2026?
Essex County sample ballot 2026: see where the commissioner at-large, county executive and county commissioner candidates stand on housing and schools. Every candidate profile on this page names the official filing or campaign source it came from.
When is the 2026 general election in New Jersey?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for New Jersey are listed on the New Jersey election hub. New Jersey election hub →
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Candidate roster last updated Oct 1, 2026 from official election sources.