Three of New Jersey's major cities will choose their leaders in the non-partisan May municipal elections.
It's not time for the November elections, or even the June primaries. You probably haven't been inundated with tacky campaign commercials, or public service announcements about the importance of voting.
But, a handful of municipalities across the state are holding local elections Tuesday.
The municipal races in 18 towns across the state are all non-partisan, and though there are several non-contested races in the mix, some of this year's most high-profile local elections will be decided long before the November shuffle.
Voters in New Jersey's most populous city, Newark, will choose a mayor and all nine members of the city council. The race between incumbent Mayor Ras Baraka and challenger Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins has been a bitter one, and as the city is in the midst of an upward swing, with Amazon considering it as a finalist for its second headquarters, the stakes are high.
Two other major New Jersey cities - Trenton and Paterson - will elect new mayors Tuesday night. Trenton's Eric Jackson announced earlier this year he would not seek a second term in office, spurring a seven-way race for the town's top job. In Paterson, a six-way race emerged after current Mayor Jane Williams-Warren -- who has served in an interim capacity since 2017 after Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres pleaded guiltyto corruption charges - said she would not run for a full term.
In Long Branch, a hotly contested race for mayor has developed between incumbent Adam Schneider, School Board Member Avery Grant, and Councilman John Pallone, the brother of U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.
And in Newton, all eyes are on the future of Councilman Wayne Levante, who, while serving as mayor earlier this year, was catapulted into controversy after posting on Facebook conspiracy theories about the Parkland, Florida school shooting.
See the list below to check out all of the May races happening across the state Tuesday. And, if you live in one of the 18 towns, contact the clerk's office for voting hours and information.
Bergen County
Ridgewood
Council
Two four-year terms
- Alexandra Harwin
- Susan Knudsen
- Michael A. Sedon
- Janice M. Willett
Teterboro
Council
Five four-year terms
- Christie Emden
- Gregory J. Stein
- Juan J. Ramirez
- John B. Watt
- John P. Watt
Teaneck
Council
Four four-year terms
- Keith Kaplan
- Elie Y. Katz
- Alan Sohn
- Gervonn Romney Rice
- James Dunleavy
- Clara Williams
- Charles Powers
Burlington County
Medford Lake Borough
Council
Two full terms
- Joseph A. Aromando, III
- Thomas J. Cranston
- Robert D. Hanold, Sr.
Camden County
Pine Valley
As one of N.J.'s smallest municipalities, there are only 15 registered voters in Pine Valley. According to the county clerk, residents vote only by mail, not in person.
Commission
Three full terms
- Michael B. Kennedy
- Debra M. Kennedy
- Kendra L. Clark
Cape May County
Ocean City
Mayor
One four-year term
- Jay Gillian
- John Flood
Council
Three four-year terms
- Karen Bergman
- Keith Hartzell
- Peter Madden
Essex County
Belleville
Mayor
One full term
- Raymond Kimble
- Liza M. Lopez
- Michael A. Melham
Council
Two full terms
- Charles G. Hood
- Kevin G. Kennedy
- Naomy Depena
- Thomas Graziano
- Victor G. Mesce
- Felipe Reyes
Irvington
Mayor
One full term
- Tony Vauss
Council
Three full terms
- Barnes Reid
- Renee C. Burgess
- October Hudley
- Charnette Frederic
Newark
Mayor
One four-year term
- Ras Baraka
- Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins
Council At-Large
Four four-year terms
- Mildred C. Crump
- Luis A. Quintana
- Carlos M. Gonzalez
- Eddie Osbourne
- Dupre L. Kelly
- Shakima K. Thomas
- Bessie Walker
- Hector M. Corchado
- Ariagna Perello
- Victor M. Monterrosa, Jr.
- Council North Ward
One four-year term
- Anibal Ramos
- Pablo Olivera
- Hellane T. Freeman
- Katilia Y. Velez
Council South Ward
One four-year term
- Terrance L. Bankston
- Khalil Kettles
- John Sharpe James
Council East Ward
One four-year term
- Augusto Amador
- Anthony Campos
- Jonathan T. Seabra
- Crystal C. Fonseca
- Tanisha H. Garner
Council West Ward
One four-year term
- Tomecca Mecca Keyes
- Dereck L. Dillard
- Lavita E. Johnson
- Marcellus T. Allen
- Artice K. Norvell, III
- Joseph McCallum, Jr.
Council Central Ward
One four-year term
- LaMonica R. McIver
- Rafael A. Brito
- Jaime Gonzalez
- Rashon K. Hasan
- Shawn X. McCray
- Anthony D. Diaz
- Luther D. Roberson
- Basil Parker
- Czezre T. Adams
Orange
Council North Ward
One full term
- Tency A. Eason
- Sharief Williams
Council East Ward
One full term
- Kerry Coley
- Dawan A. Alford
Council West Ward
One full term
- Michael O. Scott
- Harold J. Johnson, Jr.
- Hassan Abdul-Rasheed
Council South Ward
One full term
- Brandon K. Matthews
- Jamie Summers-Johnson
Hudson County
Bayonne
Mayor
One four-year term
- Mitchell Brown
- Jimmy Davis
- Jason O'Donnell
Council At-Large
Two four-year terms
- Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski
- Melissa Enriquez-Rada
- Juan Perez
- Dan Ward
Council First Ward
One four-year term
- Thomas Cotter
- Sharma Montgomery
Council Second Ward
One four-year term
- Sal Gullace
- Kevin Kuhl
Council Third Ward
One four-year term
- Matt Klimansky
- Gary LaPelusa Sr.
- Mark Urban
Union City
Commission
Five four-year terms
- Brian P. Stack
- Wendy Grullon
- Maryury A. Martinetti
- Lucio P. Fernandez
- Celin Valdivia
Weehawken
Council At-Large
Two four-year terms
- Richard F. Turner
- David J. Curtis
Council First Ward
One four-year term
- Carmela Silvestri-Ehret
Concil Second Ward
One four-year term
- Rosemary Lavagnino
Council Third Ward
One four-year term
- Raul I. Gonzalez
Mercer County
Trenton
Mayor
One four-year term
- Reed Gusciora
- Walker Worthy, Jr.
- Darren "Freedom" Green
- Paul Perez
- Annette Horton-Lartigue
- Duncan Harrison, Jr.
- Alex Bethea
Council At-Large
Three four-year terms
- Santiago Rodriguez
- Rachel Cogsville-Lattimer
- Elvin Montero
- Nathaniel McCray
- Kathy McBride
- Jerell Blakeley
Council East Ward
One four-year term
- Elmer Sandoval
- Joseph A. Harrison
- Taiwanda Terry-Wilson
- Perry Shaw III
Council North Ward
One four-year term
- Algernon Ward, Jr.
- Eboni Love
- Marge Caldwell-Wilson
Council South Ward
One four-year term
- Damian Malave
- Jenna Kettenburg
- George Muscal
Council West Ward
One four-year term
- Robin Vaughn
- Dr. Shirley Gaines
- Zachary Chester
- Atalaya Armstrong
Monmouth County
Keansburg
Council
Two full terms
- Jim Cocuzza
- Judy Ferraro
Long Branch
Mayor
One full term
- John Pallone
- Avery Grant
- Adam Schneider
Council At-Large
Five full terms
- Edward Anastasio
- Dennis Mikolay
- Joy Bastelli
- Kathleen "Kate" Billings
- Diana Dos Santos
- Adam Ponsi
- Michael Sirianni
- Mary Jane Celli
- Lorenzo "Bill" Dangler
- Rose M. Widdis
- Mario R. Vieira
- Anita Voogt
Passaic County
Paterson
Mayor
One full term
- Alex Cruz
- Michael Jackson
- William McKoy
- Alex Mendez
- Pedro Rodriguez
- Andre Sayegh
Council
Three full terms
- Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman
- Fatima Bell
- Maritza Davila
- Aslon Goow, Sr.
- Bernard Jones
- Douglas L. Maven
- Kenneth McDaniel
- Casey C. Melvin
- Lilisa Mimms
- Angela Muhammad
- Flavio Rivera
- Davon Roberts
- Juan Mitch Santiago
- Zellie Thomas
Sussex County
Newton
Council
Three four-year terms
- Matthew Dickson
- Sandra Diglio
- E. Kevin Elvidge
- Wayne Levante
- Ludmilla Mecaj
- Alex Majewski
- Jason Schlaffer
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