For generations, Bergen County was the place where Republican statewide campaigns lived or died.
Before Chris Christie rewrote New Jersey’s electoral map in 2009 by running up enormous margins in the fast-growing Republican counties of Ocean, Monmouth and Morris – he had to; one of many valid reasons Jon Corzine put Loretta Weinberg on his ticket was to win her home county — there was no credible arithmetic that allowed a Republican to win statewide without carrying Bergen. No Republican ever did.
Bergen was New Jersey’s premier battleground: the state’s largest county by population, number of municipalities and raw votes cast, with enough Republicans to swing a close election and enough Democrats to punish a weak GOP nominee. Anchored in the northeastern corner of the state and shaped by its proximity to New York City, it produced the margins that could decide control of Trenton.
As recently as 2014, Bergen Republicans could point to a county executive, a sheriff, freeholders and a congressman. They had money, candidates, municipal organizations and one of the most formidable Republican machines in New Jersey.
That Bergen County no longer exists.
Today, Bergen is blue. Republicans have not won a countywide office since 2013. Most county races are no longer seriously competitive, recruiting credible candidates has become increasingly difficult, and a once top-notch GOP organization now struggles in some places to fill county committee seats.
The county is not overwhelmingly Democratic, at least not by the standards of Essex or Hudson. Joe Biden carried Bergen by 17 points in 2020, but Kamala Harris won it by just four points in 2024. Phil Murphy carried it by six points in 2021, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won by 10 points in 2025.
Those numbers suggest a county Republicans could still contest. The party’s organizational decline suggests otherwise.
With 2026 already shaping up to be a more favorable political environment for Democrats than recent election cycles, Bergen Democrats appear well-positioned—even in the dwindling number of races Republicans manage to keep competitive.
Republicans are unopposed for both council seats in Allendale; one council seat each in Cresskill, Franklin Lakes, Ho-Ho-Kus, Montvale, Old Tappan, Saddle River, Upper Saddle River, and Wyckoff; the mayoralties in Paramus, River Edge, River Vale, and Rockleigh; and one council seat each in River Vale and Rockleigh.
Democrats are unopposed in Bergenfield, Cliffside Park, East Rutherford, Englewood, Fairview, Glen Rock, Haworth, Leonia, Little Ferry, Moonachie, Rutherford, South Hackensack, Tenafly, and Wood-Ridge, as well as one council seat each in Cresskill and River Vale.
Fair Lawn, Garfield, Hackensack, Lodi, Ridgefield Park, Ridgewood, and Washington Township do not hold municipal elections this year.
Teterboro holds nonpartisan elections in May.
Harrington Park’s independent council members are unopposed in November.
Mahwah, Teaneck, and Lyndhurst, where a special election will be held, will conduct nonpartisan elections in November.
U.S. Senate
Bergen County is where Cory Booker’s story began.
Booker grew up in Harrington Park and starred on the football field at Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, helping the Golden Knights win a state sectional championship in 1985. Football helped carry him to Stanford University, followed by a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, Yale Law School and a political career that took him from Newark’s city council to City Hall and the United States Senate.
His family’s arrival in Bergen has become an essential part of Booker’s political biography. In 1969, his parents, Cary and Carolyn Booker, encountered racial discrimination while trying to buy a home in predominantly white Harrington Park. With help from the Fair Housing Council of Northern New Jersey, a white couple posed as the buyers and submitted the Bookers’ bid. When the offer was accepted, Booker’s father and a volunteer lawyer appeared at the closing instead. The family ultimately purchased the house in which the future senator was raised.
Now a two-term senator, Booker is seeking another full term, and Bergen remains a dependable part of his political base.
Booker carried the county by 14 points against Steve Lonegan in the 2013 special election, by 16 points against Jeff Bell in 2014 and by 17 points against pharmaceutical executive Rik Mehta in 2020. This year, he faces former Tabernacle Deputy Mayor Justin Murphy. In the most recent Senate contest, Republican Curtis Bashaw lost Bergen by eight points to now-Sen. Andy Kim in 2024; Bashaw was the first Republican to keep a U.S. Senate race under ten points in 24 years.
The last Republican U.S. Senate candidate to carry Bergen County was Bob Franks, who grew up in Glen Rock; he beat Jon Corzine, 50%-49%.
5th Congressional District
The 5th Congressional District includes Allendale, Alpine, Bergenfield, Bogota, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, Emerson, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fair Lawn, Fort Lee, Glen Rock, Hackensack, Harrington Park, Haworth, Hillsdale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Leonia, Mahwah, part of Maywood, Midland Park, Montvale, New Milford, Northvale, Norwood, Old Tappan, Oradell, Palisades Park, Paramus, Park Ridge, Ramsey, Ridgefield Park, Ridgewood, River Edge, River Vale, Rockleigh, Saddle River, Teaneck, Tenafly, Upper Saddle River, Waldwick, Washington Township, Westwood, Woodcliff Lake, and Wyckoff.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly), the human fundraising machine of New Jersey politics, has $13 million in the bank. His Republican challenger, corporate consultant Sean Kirrane, has $8,000—which is less.
Gottheimer has carried Bergen County five times in five congressional campaigns.
The district’s political numbers offer Republicans some encouragement. Donald Trump came within one point of carrying it in 2024, although Sherrill won it by seven points in the 2025 gubernatorial election.
But the Bergen County portion remains Gottheimer territory. He defeated Republican Mary Jo Guinchard there by 18 points in 2024, even as Kamala Harris carried the same territory by only eight points.
Kirrane’s challenge is not merely overcoming Gottheimer’s electoral history. It is finding a way to compete against an incumbent whose campaign account currently contains more than 1,600 times as much money as his own.
9th Congressional District
The 9th Congressional District includes Carlstadt, Cliffside Park, East Rutherford, Edgewater, Elmwood Park, Fairview, Franklin Lakes, Garfield, Hasbrouck Heights, Little Ferry, Lodi, Lyndhurst, part of Maywood, Moonachie, North Arlington, Oakland, Ridgefield, Rochelle Park, Rutherford, Saddle Brook, South Hackensack, Teterboro, Wallington, and Wood-Ridge.
Freshman Rep. Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) is seeking a second term. She unexpectedly became the Democratic nominee in August 2024 after Bill Pascrell died in office.
Long considered a Democratic stronghold, the district narrowly voted for Donald Trump by one point in the 2024 presidential election. Pou lost the Bergen County portion of the district by four points in 2024, while Trump carried the Bergen portion by eight points. The district shifted back toward Democrats in 2025, backing Sherrill by 20 points.
Pou faces Rosie Pino, a Clifton councilwoman, in November.
County Executive
Three-term Bergen County Executive James Tedesco III is seeking a fourth term against Republican Todd Hennessey.
In 2014, Tedesco, then a freeholder and former mayor of Paramus, unseated one-term Republican County Executive Kathleen Donovan.
Hennessey is a painter with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey who came within one vote of winning a Rutherford Borough Council seat in 2009. In 1995, while living in Jersey City, he was the Republican nominee for the General Assembly in the 32nd Legislative District, finishing fourth, 14,298 votes behind Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto.
County Clerk
Democratic County Clerk John Hogan is seeking a fourth term after facing no primary opposition.
Hogan defeated incumbent Lisa Randall, a former assemblywoman who served in Gov. Christine Todd Whitman’s cabinet, in 2011. Randall had become county clerk after Kathleen Donovan resigned to become county executive.
His Republican opponent is data analyst Timothy Walsh, who previously ran for county commissioner in 2021, losing to incumbents Steven Tanelli and Tracy Silna Zur.
County Surrogate
The death of Bergen County Surrogate Michael Dressler on December 4, 2025, created the county’s first open-seat race for surrogate since 1992, when longtime Surrogate Gill C. Job announced he would not seek an eighth five-year term.
The two candidates have a combined age of 159.
Democrats nominated former Oakland Mayor Linda Schwager, 77, while Republicans nominated Franklin Lakes Councilman Joseph S. Conte, 82, a retired Superior Court judge.
In 1996, then-Surrogate Steven Rothman resigned to run for Congress. Democrats selected Dressler as their nominee, and he defeated Republican Simone Mele, 52%-48%, even as Republicans James Sheehan and Anthony Cassano won re-election as county freeholders and Sheriff Jack Terhune also won another term.
Dressler went on to win five additional terms, including a 59%-41% victory over Republican Robert Avery in 2016, prevailing by 61,217 votes.
County Commissioner
Democratic Commissioners Joan Voss and Rafael Marte are seeking re-election.
Voss is running for a sixth term, while Marte is seeking his second full term on the board after first winning a special election following the resignation of Commissioner Ramon Hache, who left to become president of the Ridgewood YMCA.
Republicans nominated Mahwah Board of Education member John Dinice and Edgewater Board of Education Vice President Maria Soledad Laman.
Democrats currently hold a 7-0 majority on the Board of County Commissioners.
Republicans haven’t won a countywide race since 2013.
Allendale
Republican Mayor Amy E. Wilczynski is seeking re-election. She faces no Democratic opposition but will appear on the ballot against independent realtor Phillip Cicchetti.
Allendale remains one of New Jersey’s more competitive municipalities and was among the few to vote for Kamala Harris in 2024 before backing Jack Ciattarelli in 2025. Harris carried the borough by four points, while Ciattarelli won it by five points a year later.
Alpine
Democratic Mayor Paul Tomasko is seeking another four-year term and faces Republican Faisel Hussein, the chief financial officer of Public Infrastructure Partners in New York City.
Republican Councilman David Kupferschmid is seeking re-election alongside Jacques Minoyan for two borough council seats. Democrats nominated Philip Simotas and Michael Cacouris.
Kupferschmid switched parties last year after serving as a Democrat and endorsed Jack Ciattarelli. He is currently the only Republican on the Alpine Borough Council and the only incumbent seeking re-election this year. Democratic Councilman Arthur Frankel is retiring.
Ciattarelli carried Alpine by roughly 14 points in 2025 after Donald Trump won the borough by nearly 13 points in the 2024 presidential election. Despite those Republican victories at the top of the ticket, Democrats continue to dominate local government.
Bogota
Democratic Councilwomen Diana Vergara and Lisa Kohles are seeking new three-year terms.
Their only challenger is Republican Louis Alvarez, a district captain with the Convention of States Project.
Despite having a Republican mayor, Democrats control all six seats on the Borough Council.
Bogota remains reliably Democratic at the top of the ticket. Kamala Harris carried the borough by 13 points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by 34 points in 2025.
Carlstadt
Republican Councilmen Joseph T. Emerson and James A. Lenoy are seeking new three-year terms. They face Democrats Dennis Ritchie, a former councilman, and Walter Beese, a retired Carlstadt police lieutenant.
Republicans currently hold all six seats on the Borough Council.
Carlstadt leans Republican at the top of the ticket. Donald Trump carried the borough by 18 points in 2024, while Jack Ciattarelli defeated Gov. Mikie Sherrill by three points in 2025.
Closter
Republican Mayor John Gliddon Jr. is seeking another four-year term against former Democratic Councilwoman Dolores Witko.
Republican Councilman Christopher Cho is seeking another three-year term alongside Monica Jethani, a member of the Closter Parent-Teacher Organization, who is running for the seat being vacated by retiring Councilwoman Anna Maroules. Democrats nominated former Councilwoman Linda Albelli and newcomer Steven J. Spoto.
Republicans currently hold a 4-2 majority on the Borough Council; a Democratic sweep this year would leave the council evenly divided.
Closter leans Democratic. Kamala Harris and Gov. Mikie Sherrill each carried the borough by 13 points in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Demarest
Democratic Mayor Brian Bernstein is seeking another four-year term against former Republican Mayor Raymond Cywinski.
Cywinski served as mayor from 2010 until his defeat in 2018.
Democratic Councilmen Adam Collins and Jonathan Reiss are also seeking re-election. They face Republican Stephen Tillack, who is making his second bid for the Borough Council, and political newcomer Theodore Martens.
Democrats currently hold the mayor’s office and five of the Borough Council’s six seats.
Although Demarest shifted to the right between 2024 and 2025, it remains a Democratic-leaning borough. Kamala Harris carried Demarest by 22 points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by 14 points in 2025.
Dumont
Republican Councilmen Kenneth Armellino and Louis Sciarino are seeking a new three-year term. They face former Democratic councilwomen Maryann Russini and Diana Englese, the wife of former Councilman Damon Englese. Russini was elected to the council last year for an unexpired term and is running for a full term.
Damon Englese ran for the General Assembly in the 39th Legislative District last year, losing the Democratic primary to Andrew Labruno and Donna Abene.
Republicans currently hold a majority on the council, with the council divided 4-2 after Democrats made gains. With two Republican-held seats on the ballot, Democrats have a chance to flip control of the council.
Although Dumont has become increasingly competitive locally, it has favored Democrats at the top of the ticket in recent years. Kamala Harris carried the borough by three points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by 15 points in 2025.
Edgewater
Democratic Councilmembers Rinaldy Gutierrez and Jose Vidal are seeking re-election.
They are being challenged by Republicans Frank Khoury, a county committee member, and Krassimir Tassev, a member of the Edgewater Board of Education.
Democrats hold all six seats on the Borough Council.
Edgewater remains one of Bergen County’s strongest Democratic municipalities. Kamala Harris carried the borough by nearly 30 points in 2024, and Gov. Mikie Sherrill expanded that margin to nearly 40 points in 2025.
Elmwood Park
Republican Councilwomen Lorraine Pellegrine and Pamela Troisi are seeking re-election.
Democrats nominated Sandra Balistrieri, the Elmwood Park Democratic municipal chairwoman, and Karen Pena, a member of the Elmwood Park Board of Education.
Republicans currently hold a 4-2 majority on the Borough Council, making this year’s election a battle for control.
Elmwood Park remains one of Bergen County’s premier swing municipalities. Donald Trump carried the borough by nearly 11 points in 2024, but Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by 10 points a year later.
Emerson
Republican Mayor Daniella DiPaola is seeking another four-year term against Democrat Joseph Solimando, a detective with the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office.
Republican Councilmembers Ashley Rice and Michael Timmerman are also seeking new three-year terms.
They face Democrats Julia Guttilla, a teacher and union leader, and Vanessa Manzano, founder and director of the Filipino School of New York and New Jersey.
Manzano entered the race after Jose Organ, who won the Democratic primary in June, withdrew his candidacy.
Republicans currently hold every seat on the Borough Council.
Emerson leans Republican. Donald Trump carried the borough by 12 points in 2024, and Jack Ciattarelli won it by five points in 2025.
Englewood Cliffs
Republican Councilmembers Zhi Liang and Rivka Biegacz are seeking re-election.
Former Councilwomen Melanie Simon and Patricia Drimones are challenging them.
Republicans currently hold all six seats on the Borough Council.
Englewood Cliffs has trended Republican in recent elections. Donald Trump carried the borough by three points in 2024, and Jack Ciattarelli increased the GOP margin to 12 points in 2025.
Fort Lee
Democratic Councilmembers Paul Yoon and Bryan Drumgoole are seeking new three-year terms.
They face Republicans Giovanna Surace, who is making her second bid for the Borough Council, and Rosana Condina.
Democrats hold every seat on the Borough Council and have maintained a majority since 1982. The last Republican elected to local office in Fort Lee was former Bergen County Republican Chairman Berek Don.
Fort Lee remains a Democratic stronghold. Kamala Harris carried the borough by 15 points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by 23 points in 2025.
Hasbrouck Heights
Republican Councilmembers Michael Sickels and Charlotte Sodora are seeking re-election.
They face a lone Democratic challenger, David D’Alessandro, the director of development and alumni relations at St. Mary High School.
Republicans currently hold every seat on the Borough Council.
Hasbrouck Heights remains one of Bergen County’s more competitive municipalities. Donald Trump carried the borough by 10 points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill narrowly won it by just under two points in 2025.
Hillsdale
Republican Councilman Clemente Osso is seeking re-election alongside businesswoman Danielle Ganter. Ganter is running for the seat currently held by retiring Republican councilman John Ruocco.
Democrats nominated Gabriella Ianni, a record label executive, and public relations specialist Dena Toms.
Republicans hold a narrow 4-2 majority on the Borough Council, making this year’s election a fight for control.
Hillsdale remains highly competitive. Kamala Harris carried the borough by just over one point in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill expanded the Democratic margin to just over four points in 2025.
Maywood
Democratic Councilwoman Claire A. Padovano is seeking re-election alongside Curtis McAuliffe, who is running for the seat being vacated by retiring Councilman Ryan Ullman.
Republicans nominated Keith Soriano, a senior detective with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, and political newcomer Michael Trepicchio.
Democrats currently hold all six seats on the Borough Council.
Maywood has become a reliably Democratic municipality. Kamala Harris carried the borough by seven points in 2024, and Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by 18 points in 2025.
Midland Park
Republican Councilwoman Lorraine DeLuca is seeking re-election alongside driving instructor Kasey Damiano, who is running for the seat being vacated by retiring Councilman Robert Sansone.
Democrats nominated Myrna Kayal, director of payroll at A+E Media, and Deborah Spell, an investigator with PSE&G.
Republicans currently hold every seat on the Borough Council.
Midland Park continues to lean Republican. Donald Trump carried the borough by five points in 2024, and Jack Ciattarelli won it by four points in 2025.
Moonachie
Democratic Mayor Dennis Vaccaro is seeking another four-year term alongside Councilmembers Antonio Cirillo and Manuel Martinez.
The Democratic slate faces no Republican opposition but is being challenged by an independent ticket running under the “Vote for Change” slogan. Bradford Haberlin, president of Legacy Mortgage Group, is running for mayor, while Giovanni Brattoli, a real estate adviser and former corrections officer, and Matthew Patunas are seeking council seats.
Democrats currently hold every seat on the Borough Council.
Moonachie remains competitive at the top of the ticket. Donald Trump carried the borough by 16 points in 2024, but Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by three points in 2025.
New Milford
Democratic Mayor Michael Putrino is seeking re-election against Republican Laure Schroeder, a collection specialist.
Councilmembers Ira Grotsky and Matthew Seymour are also seeking re-election. They face Republicans Joseph LoPorto, the New Jersey state director for the NRA-ILA, and Malcolm Sillars, a New Milford Republican county committee member making his fourth bid for the Borough Council.
Democrats currently hold all six seats on the Borough Council.
Although New Milford remains Democratic-leaning, it has become increasingly competitive. Kamala Harris carried the borough by less than one point in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by 10 points in 2025.
North Arlington
Republican Mayor Daniel Pronti is seeking re-election alongside Councilmembers Mario Karcic and Donna Bocchino.
Democrats nominated former Local 1262 member John Balwierczak for mayor and Navy veteran Dennis Papile and marble and tile installer Cengiz Sever for council.
Republicans currently hold every seat on the Borough Council.
North Arlington leans Republican at the presidential level. Donald Trump carried the borough by 13 points in 2024, though Gov. Mikie Sherrill narrowly won it by less than one point in 2025.
Northvale
Republican Mayor Joseph McGuire is seeking another four-year term against attorney Kenneth Cho.
Republican Councilmembers Hovannes Bakalian and Laura Fernandez are also seeking re-election. They face Democrats Jean Cerbasi, a member of the Northvale PTO, and financial analyst David Sillery.
Northvale leans Republican. Donald Trump carried the borough by just over nine points in 2024, while Jack Ciattarelli defeated Gov. Mikie Sherrill by three points in 2025.
Norwood
Republican Councilman Bong “BJ” Kim and Democratic Councilwoman Annie Hausmann are each seeking re-election.
Hausmann is running alongside fellow Democrat John Rooney, a Norwood police officer. Kim is running with former Norwood police officer John Krapels.
The six-member Borough Council is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, making this year’s election a fight for control.
Norwood remains one of Bergen County’s most competitive municipalities. Kamala Harris carried the borough by three points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by two points in 2025.
Oakland
Republican incumbents Russell Talamini and Ryan Schwertfeger, a spokesman for the Borough of Roseland, are seeking re-election to the Borough Council.
The pair faces no Democratic opposition but is being challenged by independents Jim Folkerts, chairman of the Oakland Sports Authority, and Frank Furbacher, a volunteer recreation coach with a background in customer relations.
If Folkerts and Furbacher prevail, independents would hold a 4-3 majority on the seven-member governing body, including Republican Mayor Eric Kulmala.
Last November, independent William Eilert defeated Republican incumbent John J. McCann by 77 votes. The race for the second seat ended in an exact tie, with independent Matthew Dumpert and Republican incumbent Kevin Slasinski each receiving 2,516 votes. Superior Court Judge Kelly Conlon later ordered a special election, in which Dumpert defeated Slasinski, 1,888 votes to 770.
Oakland remains significantly more Republican at the top of the ticket. Donald Trump carried the borough by 11 points in 2024, while Jack Ciattarelli won it by five points in 2025.
Oradell
Republican Councilman Jonathan Kern is seeking re-election alongside CouncilmanJames Gullo II.
Democrats Jeffrey Stewart, a Garfield police officer, and Susan Croce, a certified public accountant, are challenging them.
The Borough Council is evenly divided, 3-3, making partisan control of the council at stake this year .
Although Oradell has trended Democratic in federal and statewide races, local elections remain highly competitive. Kamala Harris carried the borough by eight points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by nine points in 2025.
Palisades Park
Mayor Chong “Paul” Kim is seeking re-election after defeating Councilman Sukuk “John” Min in a competitive Democratic primary.
He faces former Republican Councilwoman Stephanie Jang, who was nearly elected mayor four years ago, only for a judge to find probable cause to refer a two-year-old allegation that Jang helped voters at a local senior housing facility fill out vote-by-mail ballots during the 2020 primary election. The Bergen County superintendent of elections had investigated the allegations but declined to prosecute.
Four years ago, Kim defeated incumbent Chris Chung in the Democratic primary. Chung became the borough’s first Korean American mayor in 2018 after defeating an incumbent in the Democratic primary.
Democrats nominated Justin Jang and Lucy Yang, a member of the Palisades Park Recreation Committee, for two Borough Council seats. The pair is seeking the seats currently held by Min and retiring Republican Councilwoman Youbong Won-Yoon. Republicans nominated residential construction developer Carmelo Velardo as their lone council candidate.
Palisades Park leans Democratic. Kamala Harris carried the borough by six points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by 25 points in 2025.
Paramus
Republican Councilman Alfredo Nadera is seeking another term alongside Eric Crespo, a coach at Paramus Catholic High School, who is running for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Councilwoman Mary Rizzo. Democrats are only running one candidate for council: Melissa Caminiti, the Paramus Democratic Municipal chair.
Republicans currently hold every seat on the Borough Council, and Mayor Chris DiPiazza is unopposed for a second term.
Once one of Bergen County’s most competitive municipalities, Paramus has moved decisively toward Republicans in recent years.
Donald Trump carried the borough by 15 points in 2024, while Jack Ciattarelli won it by eight points in 2025.
Park Ridge
Democratic Councilmembers Robert Metzdorf and Michael Mintz are seeking re-election.
Republican Councilmembers William Fenwick and Gregory Hoffman are challenging them. Neither Fenwick’s nor Hoffman’s current terms expire this year—Fenwick’s seat is up in 2027 and Hoffman’s in 2028. If elected in November, both would resign their current seats to assume the new terms, creating two vacancies that the Republican-controlled council would fill by appointment. Those appointees would then run in special elections next year to serve the remainder of the unexpired terms.
Fenwick and Hoffman only entered the race after the two Republicans originally recruited to run withdrew as the filing deadline rapidly approached. It remains unclear whether Republicans have found replacement candidates, but if they do so before the substitution deadline, Fenwick and Hoffman will almost certainly withdraw.
Republicans currently hold a 4-2 majority on the Borough Council, while Democrats hold the mayor’s office.
Ramsey
Republican Mayor Deirdre Dillon is seeking another four-year term against former police sergeant Angelo LaManna.
Republican Councilwoman Judith Cusick is also seeking re-election alongside Jacob Englishman, the coordinator of the borough’s Office of Emergency Management.
Democrats nominated Jennifer Crandall, a global account manager at Atlantic Tomorrow, and former journalist Rob Barry.
Republicans currently hold a 5-0 majority on the Borough Council.
Ramsey remains one of Bergen County’s most competitive municipalities. Donald Trump carried the borough by less than one point in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by a similarly narrow margin in 2025.
Ridgefield
Republican Councilmembers Gino Ramundo and Sarah Kim are seeking re-election.
They face former Councilman James Kontollios and political newcomer Frank Pellino.
Republicans hold a 4-2 majority on the Borough Council, while Democrats control the mayor’s office.
Ridgefield remains competitive at the top of the ticket. Donald Trump carried the borough by eight points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by the same margin in 2025.
Rochelle Park
Democratic Township Committee member Teresa Judge Cravello and Republican Township Committee member Jennifer Appice are each seeking re-election.
Appice is running alongside her husband, John Appice, while Judge Cravello is running with Democratic municipal chairman Andrew Mattson.
Both major-party slates face an independent ticket led by former Republican Mayor Joseph Scarpa and former Township Committee member Gail Artola, running under the “Save RP” slogan.
Democrats currently hold a 4-1 majority on the Township Committee.
Rochelle Park remains highly competitive. Donald Trump carried the township by six points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by the same margin in 2025.
Rockleigh
Republican Councilmembers Rosanne Urciuoli Antine and Frank Cumiskey are seeking re-election.
The pair faces no Democratic opposition but is being challenged by independent contractor Dimitrios Venetsanos.
Rockleigh remains one of Bergen County’s strongest Republican municipalities. Donald Trump carried the borough by 18 points in 2024, while Jack Ciattarelli expanded the Republican margin to 38 points in 2025.
Saddle Brook
Democratic Mayor Robert White is seeking re-election against former Republican Councilman Omar Rodriguez.
Democratic Councilwoman Sarah Sanchez is seeking re-election alongside Garrett Luna, the borough of Paramus’ director of recreation.
They face former Republican Councilmembers Andrew Dziedic and Gerard “Jerry” Taylor.
Democrats currently hold the mayor’s office and every seat on the Township Council.
Despite Democratic control of local government, Saddle Brook has trended Republican at the top of the ticket. Donald Trump carried the township by 17 points in 2024, while Jack Ciattarelli defeated Gov. Mikie Sherrill by four points in 2025.
Waldwick
Republican Councilman Joseph Martinello is seeking re-election.
His running mate, Councilman Andrew Brennecke, withdrew from the race after initially filing for re-election and winning the Republican primary, leaving Martinello to face Democrats Gilbert Hartman, a healthcare researcher, and Eric Rubinstein, a math teacher, alone.
Republicans currently hold a 4-2 majority on the Borough Council. If the GOP does not nominate a replacement for Brennecke, the council is likely to be evenly divided, 3-3, next year.
Waldwick remains a competitive borough. Donald Trump carried the borough by four points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by two points in 2025.
Wallington
Republican Councilmembers Dennis Graham and Sylwia Hejzner are seeking re-election.
“They face Democrats Albert Zaccone, a realtor, small business owner and former member of the Wallington Zoning Board, and Walter Wargacki Jr.”
A third seat is also on the ballot following the resignation of Councilwoman Beata Balik, who was re-elected last year before stepping down. Republican John Kosuda, who was appointed to fill the vacancy, is seeking election to serve the remainder of Balik’s unexpired term.
Republicans currently hold every seat on the Borough Council and the mayor’s office.
Wallington remains one of Bergen County’s strongest Republican municipalities. Donald Trump carried the borough by nearly 30 points in 2024, while Jack Ciattarelli won it by six points in 2025.
Westwood
Republican Councilwoman Lauren Letizia and Democratic Councilwoman Erin Collins are each seeking re-election.
Letizia is running alongside Beth Staples, former chief of staff to Sen. Holly Schepisi, while Collins is running with EMT Kristian Rasmussen.
Collins is currently the only Democrat serving on the Borough Council.
Westwood leans Democratic at the top of the ticket. Kamala Harris carried the borough by six points in 2024, while Gov. Mikie Sherrill won it by 12 points in 2025.
Woodcliff Lake
Republican Councilmembers Julie Brodsky and Joshua Stern are seeking re-election.
They face Democrats Aleisia Gibson Wright, a healthcare communications executive, and Eric Bittman, owner of Warren London, a manufacturer of dog grooming products.
The Borough Council is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, making this year’s election a control election.
Woodcliff Lake was one of a few Bergen County municipalities to shift toward Republicans between 2024 and 2025. Kamala Harris carried the borough by four points in 2024, but Jack Ciattarelli won it by two points in 2025.
The borough was also the only municipality in New Jersey to flip from supporting Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021 to backing Ciattarelli in 2025.
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