Joe DiVincenzo, Essex Democrats Fend Off GOP Challengers, Early Results Show

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Democrats have likely kept their decades-long winning streak alive in races for Essex County executive and the board of commissioners.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. captured a landslide victory on Tuesday night in the 2026 general election against Republican challenger, Maritza Mathews, unofficial results show.

With 96.87 percent of districts reported, here are the totals as of late Tuesday night, as per the Essex County Clerk’s Office (there may still also be mail-in or provisional ballots that need to be counted):

• Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. – 170,418 votes, 83.98%
• Maritza Mathews – 32,503 votes, 16.02%

DiVincenzo claimed victory in a social media post on Wednesday.

DiVincenzo announced that he was seeking re-election to his seventh term at the helm of Essex County at the beginning of the year. The longtime Democratic official first took office in 2002. His current term ends on Jan. 1, 2027.

Some of the responsibilities of the office include preparing county budgets, hiring and dismissal of county employees, and other administrative duties. Terms last for four years.

COUNTY COMMISSIONER RACES

Three Democrats ran unopposed for Essex County Commissioner Board seats in their respective wards: Wilson Pichardo (1^st district), A’Dorian Murray-Thomas (2^nd district), Medinah Muhammad (3^rd district).

Meanwhile, Leonard Luciano appears to have won re-election in the 4^th district, and Carlos Pomares seems to have captured victory in the 5^th district. Here are the uncertified results for those two races as of late Tuesday night, as per the clerk’s office:

4^th District (100% reported)

• Adam Kraemer (Republican) – 20,948 votes, 35.82%
• Leonard Luciano (Democrat) – 37,538 votes, 64.18%

5^th District (98.45% reported)

• Frank Contella (Republican) – 10,738 votes, 22.46%
• Carlos Pomares (Democrat) – 37,080 votes, 77.54%

Four at-large seats on the Essex County Board of Commissioners were also up for election this year.

The candidates included four Democrats (Christine McGrath, Deborah Engel, Abdur Yasin, Wayne Richardson), four Republicans (Demetrius Eley, Daniela Ferriera Almeida, Douglas Freeman, Sahwa DeFrank), and an independent (Wynnie-Fred Victor Hinds).

With nearly all districts reported as of late Tuesday night, the Democrats – McGrath, Yasin, Engel and Richardson – each had wide leads.

Here are the latest results from the Essex County Clerk’s Office (96.87 percent of districts reported):

• Demetrius Eley – 34,507 votes, 4.56
• Daniela Ferriera Almeida – 37,768 votes, 4.99%
• Douglas Freeman – 37,189 votes, 4.92%
• Sahwa DeFrank – 33,929 votes, 4.49%
• Christine McGrath – 155,819 votes, 20.6%
• Abdur Yasin – 149,763 votes, 19.8%
• Deborah Engel – 153,453 votes, 20.29%
• Wayne Richardson – 150,468 votes, 19.89%
• Wynnie-Fred Victor Hinds – 3,547 votes, 0.47%

Earlier this year, two longtime at-large commissioners – both Democrats – announced they were not running for re-election: Patricia Sebold and Brendan Gill.

The commissioner board has several powers, including approval of the annual operating and capital budgets. Other powers include passing ordinances and resolutions, overriding a veto of the county executive and conducting investigations. Terms last for three years.

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