Middlesex County, New Jersey

Middlesex County Surrogate

2 candidates are tracked for Middlesex County Surrogate on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Claribel Cortes and Harold V. Kane Jr.. Candidate information follows official Middlesex County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Incumbent Democrat Claribel Cortes and Republican Harold V. Kane Jr. each advanced unopposed from the June 2 primaries and meet in the November 3 election for Middlesex County surrogate.

About the Middlesex County Surrogate

The surrogate is the county's probate official and the judge of the Surrogate's Court. The office probates wills, administers estates without wills, processes adoptions, handles contested probate matters, handles guardianships for adults who may be incapacitated, appoints guardians for minors, invests minors' funds and films and records probate proceedings. Contested matters are heard by a Superior Court judge in the Chancery Division, Probate Part, per the county.

The surrogate is one countywide constitutional officer, so every Middlesex County voter votes on the office. The term is five years, per the Daily Targum.

Claribel Cortes has been surrogate since March 26, 2021, per the county, and is on the ballot.

Official source: Middlesex County: Office of the Surrogate

New Jersey › Middlesex County › Middlesex County Surrogate

Claribel Cortes

Democratic Incumbent

Top priorities

Probate and estate services
Guardianship support for families
Multilingual access to Surrogate's Court

Biography

Claribel Cortes serves as Middlesex County Surrogate, the countywide office that oversees probate of wills, estates, and guardianships. A North Brunswick resident, she is the first Latina elected to a countywide constitutional office in Middlesex County and is seeking a new five-year term. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Claribel Cortes.

Harold V. Kane Jr.

Republican

Biography

Harold V. Kane Jr. is running for Middlesex County Surrogate on the Middlesex County Republican Organization slate in the November 2026 election. The Surrogate oversees probate of wills, estates, adoptions, and guardianships for county residents. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Harold V. Kane Jr.

Next on your ballotMiddlesex County Commissioner (Vote for 2)

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Middlesex County Surrogate in 2026?

When is the Middlesex County Surrogate election in New Jersey?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for New Jersey are on the New Jersey election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Middlesex County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Middlesex County and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official New Jersey election office, or see the full Middlesex County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Middlesex County ballot

3 tracked races in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Woodbridge Township Board of Education See all 3 Middlesex County races

Candidate profiles

Claribel Cortes, full profile Harold V. Kane Jr., full profile Official New Jersey election office