Essex County's Local Elections: A Closer Look at Tuesday's Outcomes

While the spotlight was on the governor's race in New Jersey, many local elections took place across Essex County on Tuesday. These elections were for various positions, including school boards, municipal councils, and the county clerk. The unofficial results, as reported by the Essex County Clerk's website, show a mix of contested and uncontested races. In Belleville, three seats on the School Board were up for grabs. The candidates included Cristina Garro, Gabrielle Bennett-Meany, Nicole Coviello Daddis, Michael W. Sheldon, Kenia Arroyabe, Ana Mansilla, Yadira Munoz, and Michael L. Derro. Meanwhile, in Bloomfield, Jenny Mundell, the Democratic candidate, won the mayoral race. The Township Council At-Large race saw Tracy Toler-Phillips, Monica Charris Tabares, and Jill Fischman, all Democrats, secure seats. Jonathan Mejia, an independent, also won a seat. Caldwell had a mix of contested and uncontested races. For the Borough Council, Kris Brown and Darren Daniolowicz, both Republicans, won the two available seats. The Caldwell-West Caldwell School District had a bond proposal question on the ballot, with the results showing a close vote. In Cedar Grove, the School Board race was uncontested, with Cienne S. Keegan and Paul Alban winning the two seats. East Orange had several uncontested races, including the mayoral race, where Ted R. Green, a Democrat, won. The 2nd Ward Council race was contested, with Christopher Awe emerging as the winner. In Essex Fells, the mayoral race was uncontested, with Edward A. Davis, a Republican, winning. The Borough Council and School Board races were also uncontested. Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Irvington, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair, Newark, North Caldwell, Nutley, Orange, Roseland, South Orange, Verona, West Caldwell, West Orange, and West Essex-North Caldwell also had various local elections. The results show a mix of contested and uncontested races, with candidates from both major parties and independents winning seats. It's important to note that these are unofficial results and may change as votes continue to be counted. The local elections in Essex County highlight the importance of community involvement in shaping the future of their towns and school districts.