Essex County Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura, a hugely popular Essex County Democrat who has won elections in landslides, will not seek re-election to a 12th term, ending a law enforcement career that began as a Newark police officer in 1967.
“Serving the residents of Essex County as their sheriff has been an honor and a privilege,” said Fontoura. “Law enforcement is a young person’s game, and I feel it’s time to bring a close to my 57 years in law enforcement and pass the baton on to the next generation.
Democrats have a narrow window to find a new candidate; the filing deadline is March 25 at 4 PM.
Fontoura, 81, is the state’s longest-serving sheriff and is just the third Democrat to serve as sheriff over the last fifty years.
He spent five years as undersheriff until becoming acting sheriff in 1991 after Thomas D’Alessio gave up the post to become Essex County Executive. He was elected in 1991 and re-elected ten times by massive margins.
In the 1991 primary election, Fontoura defeated Newark City Council President Ralph Grant.
Republicans had a three-way primary for sheriff between former Newark Police Director Louis Greenleaf, District 5 Freeholder Arthur Clay, and former State Sen. Anthony Imperiale (R-Newark). Clay won the primary, with Greenleaf, who ran on the Essex GOP organization line, finishing third.
Despite a Republican wave election that flipped control of both houses of the New Jersey Legislature following Gov. Jim Florio’s $2.8 billion tax increase, Fontoura defeated Clay by about 11,000 votes, 55%-45%.
A ten-point victory was Fontoura’s worst showing in his ten campaigns for sheriff. He was re-elected in 2018 by 146,990 votes, 82%-18% against Republican Pasquale Capozzoli, a Caldwell councilman. He was 77% against Republican Nicholas Pansini.
Fontoura retired as a Newark police captain in 1986 to join the sheriff’s department.
