East Orange Councilwoman getting Freeholder post

East Orange Councilwoman Tyshammie Cooper will seek the Democratic nomination for Essex County Freeholder in District 3 with the support of the county Democratic organization.

She will seek the unexpired term of Britnee Timberlake, who gave up her seat in February after being elected to replace Sheila Oliver in the State Assembly.

Cooper is serving her second term on the East Orange City Council representing the Fourth Ward and is an ally of Mayor Ted Green.  She served as Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Orange and is a former chief executive officer of the Camden Empowerment Corporation.

Earlier this month, Democrats elected former South Orange Village Trustee Janine Bauer to serve as a caretaker.  She is not seeking election to a full term.

The district, which includes East Orange, South Orange, Orange and part of Newark’s West Ward, is overwhelmingly Democratic.  If she wins, Cooper would take office as soon as the general election results are certified.  The City Council will pick a replacement for Cooper’s fourth ward seat from a list of three candidates supplied by East Orange Democrats.