2026 Elections In Belleville-Nutley: School Board, Congress, County Races

BELLEVILLE-NUTLEY, NJ — The 2026 general election is fast approaching, and residents of Belleville and Nutley have plenty of choices to make, including races for their local boards of education.

The Essex County Clerk’s Office recently released sample ballots for Belleville and Nutley, which can be seen here.

Here are some local choices that voters in each town will face in the upcoming election:

• Belleville Board of Education - There are two seats available on the Belleville Board of Education. The candidates are: Gabrielle Bennett Meany, Kyle Lu, Andrea Maldonado, and Lissa Missaggia.
• Belleville Town Council - A seat on the Belleville Town Council is available representing the 2nd ward. Thomas Graziano is running unopposed.
• Nutley Board of Education - There are three seats available on the Nutley Board of Education. The candidates are: Lisa Danchak-Martin, Joe Battaglia, Salvatore Balsamo, Michael Marsala, Chris Corino, Desiree Bernasconi, and Janine Delaney.

Here are some other races that local voters will be asked to cast ballots for in the midterm election:

• U.S. Senator – A U.S. Senate seat is open in New Jersey. The candidates are Justin Murphy (Republican), Cory Booker (Democrat), Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party), and Veronica Fernandez (Independent).
• U.S. House of Representatives (11^th District) – Belleville and Nutley are located in the state's 11th congressional district. The candidates are Joe Hathaway (Republican), Analilia Mejia (Democrat), and Alan Bond (Independent).
• Essex County Executive – The candidates for Essex County executive are Maritza Mathews (Republican) and Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. (Democrat).
• Essex County Board of Commissioners (At-Large) – There are four at-large seats available on the Essex County Board of Commissioners. The Republican candidates are: Demetrius Eley, Daniela Ferreira Almeida, Douglas Freeman, and Sahwa DeFrank. The Democratic candidates are: Christine McGrath, Abdur Yasin, Deborah Engel, and Wayne Richardson. There is also an independent candidate: Wynnie-Fred Victor Hinds.
• Essex County Board of Commissioners (5^th District) – There is also a county commissioner seat up for grabs in the 5^th district, which includes Belleville and Nutley. The candidates are Frank Contella (Republican) and Carlos Pomares (Democrat).

HOW TO VOTE

The voter registration deadline for the general election is Oct. 13. Learn more about voting in New Jersey here.

There are three ways to vote in the 2026 general election:

Vote By Mail – The last day to apply by mail for a Vote-By-Mail Ballot is Oct. 27. Voters can also apply in person to the clerk's office on any day up to 3 p.m. the day before an election. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before 8 p.m. on Election Day. See a list of secure drop boxes in Essex County here. Learn more about the voting by mail process here. RELATED: Vote-By-Mail Update Issued In Essex County After Supreme Court Ruling

Early In-Person Voting – Early in-person voting will begin Oct. 24 and run through Nov. 1. Voting hours will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Monday to Saturday), and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. See a list of early voting locations in Essex County here.

Election Day – Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, which takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Find your local polling place here.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.