Special Election Nov. 6 Will Determine New Bergen Sheriff: Report

Voters will decide who the next Bergen County sheriff will be, not Governor Phil Murphy.

A special election will be held Nov. 6 to select a new sheriff, Secretary of State Tahesha Way confirmed to NorthJersey.com.

There was some question as to whether Gov. Phil Murphy would appoint a new sheriff, or if a special election would be held, according to NorthJersey.com.

Whoever is elected would lead the 600-member Sheriff's department for three years.

Because Saudino resigned more than 37 days before the Nov. 6 election, the decision on who will be the next sheriff goes to the voters rather than Governor Phil Murphy, according to NorthJersey.com.

Saudino was in the middle of a three-year term before he resigned Friday after a tape of him allegedly making racist and homophobic remarks to fellow officers was recorded and released to the press. (See related: Bergen Sheriff Quits After He's Caught Making Racist Remarks)

In the secret conversation, which was recorded Jan. 16 after Murphy was inaugurated, Saudino allegedly can be heard telling colleagues what he thought Murphy's speech was about: "...let the blacks come in, do what the f--- they want, smoke their marijuana, do this do that," according to WYNC, who first published the recording.

Saudino allegedly complained on the recording that Gurbir Grewal was appointed Attorney General only on the basis of his "turban." Grewal is the nation's first Sikh attorney general.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Bergen County Sheriff's Office photo of Saudino