Ocean County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026
6 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot across 2 Ocean County races, led by the Ocean County Commissioner contest.
County offices
CommissionerFrank Sadeghi (R) · Kia C. Phua (D)
Frank Sadeghi Republican Incumbent
- Balancing land preservation with smart growth
- Investing in infrastructure and education
- Keeping communities affordable and safe while making county government more accountable and transparent
Per the campaign site.
About Frank Sadeghi
Frank Sadeghi is a certified municipal and professional engineer who owns Morgan Engineering and Arya Properties in Ocean County, per his campaign site. He holds a bachelor's degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and a master's degree in city and regional planning from Rutgers University, per his campaign site. He currently serves as Director of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners, per the county clerk's elected officials roster.
Kia C. Phua Democratic
- Transparency in county government
- Smart growth for the county
- Putting residents first
Per the campaign site.
About Kia C. Phua
Kia C. Phua has worked as an MTA NYC Transit train operator for 23 years and served as a union representative for Transport Workers Union Local 100 from 2011 to 2018, per the New Jersey Globe. He was elected in May 2025 to represent Ocean County Democrats on the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, per the New Jersey Globe.
One seat (the Director's seat, held by Frank Sadeghi) is on the November 3, 2026 ballot; per the Ocean County Clerk's official roster of elected officials, this is the only county commissioner term expiring in 2026. Sadeghi is unopposed within his party and faces Democrat Kia C. Phua in November; the county clerk and sheriff, both re-elected in prior cycles, and the surrogate are not up in 2026, per the Ocean County Clerk's 2026 Ocean County & Municipal Elected Officials roster.
Full race pageCities and towns
Lakewood Township CommitteeDeborah Fuentes (R) · Moshe B. Raitzik (R) · Raymond Coles (D) · Samantha L. Stokes (D)
Deborah Fuentes Republican Incumbent
Deborah Fuentes is the incumbent Lakewood Township Committeewoman, per the county clerk's elected officials roster. She and running mate Moshe B. Raitzik were endorsed by the Lakewood Vaad, a coalition of Orthodox Jewish community leaders, in the June 2026 Republican primary, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official roster and election filing is the only verifiable source for Deborah Fuentes.
Moshe B. Raitzik Republican
- Addressing traffic congestion and road closures
- Managing infrastructure strain from development
Per the New Jersey Globe.
About Moshe B. Raitzik
Moshe B. Raitzik is a Lakewood fire commissioner and former school board member, per the New Jersey Globe. His campaign has focused on traffic congestion, road closures, infrastructure strain and the pace of development in the township, 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 Moshe B. Raitzik.
Raymond Coles Democratic Incumbent
Raymond Coles is the sitting Mayor of Lakewood Township and has served on its Township Committee since 2001, per a LegiStorm biography. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Raymond Coles.
Samantha L. Stokes Democratic
Samantha L. Stokes appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Lakewood Township Committee, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for Samantha L. Stokes.
Two seats are on the November 3, 2026 ballot (the terms of incumbent Deborah Fuentes, Republican, and incumbent Mayor Raymond Coles, Democrat, both expire in 2026, per the Ocean County Clerk's elected officials roster). Fuentes and Moshe B. Raitzik advanced from a contested June 2, 2026 Republican primary, defeating activist Aaron Hirsch (Raitzik led with 2,067 votes to Fuentes's 1,627 and Hirsch's 962), per the New Jersey Globe. Republicans currently hold a 3-2 majority on the five-member committee. Lakewood is Ocean County's largest municipality and is included here per the build brief's well-known-city rule.
Full race pageBallot questions
One local ballot question from official county, city and school district lists. Countywide questions appear on every ballot in Ocean County; city, school district and special-district questions only inside the jurisdiction named. Statewide measures are listed separately.
Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund (Open Space) Tax IncreaseCountywide · Shall the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund tax rate be increased from 1.2 cents to 2.2 cents per $100 of equalized assessed property value, to fund continued acquisition and preservation of open space, farmland and historic sites?
Shall the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund tax rate be increased from 1.2 cents to 2.2 cents per $100 of equalized assessed property value, to fund continued acquisition and preservation of open space, farmland and historic sites? Ocean County voters will decide whether to raise the county's dedicated open-space tax by one cent per $100 of assessed value, the first increase since voters created the fund in 1997, to keep pace with rising land costs for conservation purchases. Source: https://www.jerseyshoreonline.com/ocean-county/ocean-county-open-space-tax-increase-heads-to-november-ballot/.
Full detailsSee your full ballot
Voting info and more
Voting info and more
Verify your ballot with the official election office.
Cross-check every race and candidate with the official election office. Official sources are the final word.
Who is on the ballot in Ocean County, New Jersey on November 3, 2026?
Ocean County sample ballot 2026: see where the county commissioner and lakewood township committee candidates stand on growth, roads and the budget. 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 →
What ballot questions are on the Ocean County ballot?
1 ballot question: Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund (Open Space) Tax Increase. Each question page explains what a yes vote and a no vote would do.
How do I see my exact Ocean County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup for the statewide and congressional races on every ballot in the county, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location. Look up your ballot →
Sample ballot by ZIP code in Ocean County29 ZIP codes
Candidate roster last updated Sep 25, 2026 from official election sources.