Voters in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional district can begin voting by next week in the special election Democratic primary to fill Gov.-Elect Mikie Sherrill‘s former seat. (There is no Republican primary since only one candidate is running as a Republican: Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway.)
The county clerks in Essex, Morris and Passaic counties will begin mailing out Mail-In Ballots to registered voters in NJ-11 who have requested them on December 22. The deadline to apply for a Mail-In Ballot by Mail for the Special Primary Election is January 29.
Democratic voters in South Orange and Maplewood (and any other town in Essex County that is within NJ-11) can go to essexclerk.com/services/6 for a Mail-In Ballot or download the application below. You then mail it back to the county by January 29. Primary election day is Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026.
Find a full chronology of NJ-11 special election dates attached below.
The 12 Democratic candidates are:
- Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett, johnbartlett.com
- Army Reserve member Zach Beecher, zachbeecher.com
- Community advocate, lawyer and comedian J-L Cauvin, jlfornj.com
- Former Obama administration member Cammie Croft, cammieforcongress.com
- Former Maplewood Mayor Dean Dafis, dafisforcongress.com
- Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, gillfornj.com
- Morris Township Committee member Jeff Grayzel, grayzelforcongress.com
- Former NJ-7 Congressman Tom Malinowski: malinowskifornj.com
- Co-Exec. Director of Popular Democracy Analilia Mejia, analiliafornj.com
- Chatham Councilman Justin Strickland, justinstrickland.com
- NJ Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State Tahesha Way, taheshaway.com
- Activist Anna Lee Williams, annaleewilliams.com
Read more Village Green Nj-11 special election coverage at villagegreennj.com/category/election.
