South Orange 2026 Election: See Candidates For School Board, Congress, County Races

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The 2026 general election is fast approaching, and South Orange 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 South Orange, which can be seen here.

There are three seats available on the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education. The candidates are: Kevin Diaz, Elizabeth Callahan, William Meyer, and Trish Azeez.

Here are some other races that South Orange 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) – Maplewood 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 (3rd District) – There is also a county commissioner seat up for grabs in the 3rd district, which includes South Orange. The Democratic candidate, Medinah Muhammad, is running unopposed.

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.