Former Maplewood Mayor Deb Engel is one of the top four finishers in the Democratic primary for four At Large seats on the Essex County Commission.
With 96.87% of the vote counted, Engel is in third place with 31,211 votes, behind Verona Councilwoman Christine McGrath with 38,543 votes and West Orange Democratic Municipal Chairman Adur R. Yasin with 32,657 votes.
The only incumbent running, Wayne Richardson, is in fourth place with 30,549 votes.
Engel, who ran with Essex Reform Democrats, was considered something of a long shot, running against the Essex County Democratic Committee-endorsed slate of McGrath, Yasin, Livingston Mayor Shawn Klein and Richardson. But endorsements from Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum boosted her campaign, along with a coalition of county-wide endorsements.
Upon her victory, Engel offered this statement to the media:
I’m incredibly honored and grateful for the support of voters across Essex County.
Tonight is a reminder that it takes all of us to make democracy work. When people engage, organize, and participate we can make real change – even when the cards are stacked against us. I want to thank every volunteer, supporter, donor, friend, family member, and voter who made this campaign possible – and especially my fellow Essex Reform Democrats, whose energy, ideas, and commitment helped build this movement.
Today marks a change in the way Essex County runs. I am the first independent candidate, not endorsed by the Essex County Democratic Committee, to win the Democratic primary for County Commissioner At-Large. We’ve shown that when people have new ideas that are responsive to people’s needs, we can take on entrenched power and we can win.
This campaign has always been about listening to people, building connections across communities, and focusing on the everyday issues affecting residents across our county – affordability, infrastructure, flooding, safer streets, sustainability, support for small businesses, and making government more accessible and responsive.
One of the best parts of this campaign has been meeting people from different communities across Essex County and hearing directly about the issues they care about most. I’m excited to continue those conversations and continue building relationships throughout the county as we head toward November.
This campaign was also about transparency and accountability. Essex County residents contribute significantly to the county budget, and they deserve to understand where that money is going, how decisions are made, and how county government can better serve their daily lives.
I believe county government should feel connected to the communities it represents, and I’m committed to creating more openness, stronger communication, and broader civic participation across Essex County. That includes encouraging more residents to bring their expertise, perspectives, and leadership into public service through boards, commissions, and community engagement.
Thank you to everyone who knocked doors, made calls, sent texts, shared posts, donated, and encouraged neighbors to vote. Most of all, thank you to the voters of Essex County for participating in this election and making your voices heard.
Tonight is an important milestone, but our work is not finished. Now we turn toward November and continue building a campaign focused on practical problem-solving, collaboration, democratic participation, and a stronger future for all of Essex County.
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