See where McGrath, Yasin, Engel, Richardson, Eley, Almeida, Freeman, DeFrank and Hinds stand on housing, roads and water. Names follow official Essex County election filings.
Four at-large seats are on the November 2026 ballot, and voters may vote for up to four of the nine names the Essex County Clerk's official sample ballot lists, including petition candidate Wynnie-Fred Victor Hinds. In the June 2, 2026 Democratic primary, Christine McGrath (38,543 votes), Abdur Yasin (32,657), Deborah Engel (31,211) and incumbent Wayne Richardson (30,549) won the four nominations over Shawn Klein (28,773) and Marques-Aquil Lewis (19,444), per the New Jersey Globe; Engel's win was notable because she lacked the county Democratic organization's backing. Republicans Demetrius Eley, Daniela Ferreira Almeida, Douglas Freeman and Sahwa DeFrank are the Republican nominees for the four seats; Republicans have not won an at-large commissioner seat since 1971, per the New Jersey Globe.
County commissioner. The county board is the county's legislative and, in most states, executive body. Commissioners adopt the county budget and property tax rate, oversee roads, the jail, public health, planning and zoning in unincorporated areas, and appoint or confirm department heads. In counties with an elected county executive or judge, the board's role is mainly the budget and ordinances.
This race. Voters choose 4; the top 4 finishers win seats. The sitting officeholder, Wayne L. Richardson, is on the ballot.
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New Jersey › Essex County › Essex County Commissioner At-Large
McGrath has served on the Verona Town Council since 2019 and chairs the Verona Democratic Committee, per search-aggregated local reporting. She has served as president of the Friends of the Verona Library and the Junior Woman's Club, co-created Verona Fights Hunger Week, and has been involved with the gun-violence-prevention group Moms Demand Action, per search-aggregated local reporting. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.
Yasin is a West Orange fire captain and serves as the West Orange Democratic Municipal Chairman, per search-aggregated local reporting. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.
Top priorities
From other published sources
Deborah Engel is a longtime Maplewood and South Orange community leader who served three years on the Maplewood Township Committee, including one year as deputy mayor, and chaired the board of South Orange Downtown, per The Village Green. She founded two local businesses, Work and Play (a coworking space with childcare) and General Store Cooperative (a co-retail incubator for small businesses), and won her Democratic nomination in June 2026 without the county party's backing. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.
Wayne L. Richardson is the incumbent Essex County Commissioner for one of the four at-large seats and was the only sitting at-large commissioner to seek re-election in 2026, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.
Demetrius Eley of West Orange is one of four Republican nominees for the four at-large Essex County Commissioner seats. He previously ran unsuccessfully for the 34th Legislative District Assembly seat, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.
Daniela Ferreira Almeida is one of four Republican nominees for the four at-large Essex County Commissioner seats. She previously ran unsuccessfully for the 29th Legislative District Assembly seat, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.
Douglas Freeman of Newark is one of four Republican nominees for the four at-large Essex County Commissioner seats, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.
Sahwa DeFrank of Newark is one of four Republican nominees for the four at-large Essex County Commissioner seats, per the New Jersey Globe. No campaign website was found as of September 8, 2026.
Wynnie-Fred Victor Hinds is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Essex County Commissioner At-Large on a nomination-by-petition line (slogan "Let's Wynn This!"), per the Essex County Clerk's official 2026 General Election sample ballot.
Who is running for Essex County Commissioner At-Large in 2026?
9 candidates are tracked for Essex County Commissioner At-Large on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Christine McGrath, Abdur R. Yasin, Deborah Engel, Wayne L. Richardson, Demetrius Eley, Daniela Ferreira Almeida, Douglas Freeman, Sahwa DeFrank and Wynnie-Fred Victor Hinds. Candidate information follows official Essex County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below. See where they stand on housing, roads and water.
When is the Essex County Commissioner At-Large election in New Jersey?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for New Jersey are on the New Jersey election hub at theballotbrief.com.
How do I see my exact Essex County ballot?
Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.
Candidate roster from official Essex County and state election office filings, last verified October 16, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official New Jersey election office, or see the full Essex County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.
7 tracked races in Essex County, New Jersey. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.