Bloomfield 2026 Election: Town Council, School Board Candidates

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The 2026 general election is fast approaching, and Bloomfield residents have plenty of choices to make, including races for town council and the board of education.

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

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

• BLOOMFIELD TOWN COUNCIL – Three Democrats are running unopposed in each of Bloomfield's three town council wards: Rosalee Gonzalez (1st ward), Greg Babula (2nd ward), and Sarah Cruz (3rd ward) . No Republicans filed to run.
• BLOOMFIELD SCHOOL BOARD – There are three seats available on the Bloomfield Board of Education. The candidates are: Quan Miller, Maria Diaz, Damaso Serrano, Kasey Dudley, Nadeisha Greene, and Stephanie Parry.

Here are some other races that Bloomfield 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) – Bloomfield is 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 Bloomfield. 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.

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