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Municipal elections in Newark, New Jersey (2018)
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| 2018 Newark elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: March 5, 2018 |
| General election: May 8, 2018 Runoff election: June 12, 2018 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor, City council |
| Total seats up: 10 (click here for the mayoral election) |
| Election type: Nonpartisan |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2018 |
The city of Newark, New Jersey, held general elections for mayor and city council on May 8, 2018. The deadline for candidates to file to run in this election was March 5, 2018.
Thirty-seven candidates filed for nine seats on the Newark City Council. Three seats on the council saw runoff elections on June 12, 2018, after no candidate received a majority of the vote in the general election on May 8, 2018. Candidates for the East, West, and Central Wards hoped to clinch victories in the nonpartisan races. The three candidates backed by Mayor Ras Baraka—Augusto Amador (I-East Ward), LaMonica Mciver (Central Ward), and Joseph McCullum (I-West Ward)—won the three seats, resulting in all nine city council members having been endorsed by Baraka in the 2018 election cycle. Following the general election, state Senate President Pro Tempore Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark) publicly backed Baraka’s candidates in the runoff elections.[1]
Baraka-backed candidates also took the Newark Public Schools elections held earlier in the year on April 17, 2018. The Moving Newark Schools Forward slate claimed three of the nine seats on the Newark Public Schools Board of Education, marking the eighth consecutive election where a slate endorsed by the mayor won and leaving the board fully comprised of Baraka-backed candidates.
Click here for more information about the Newark mayoral election.
Elections
Click on the tabs below to view the candidate lists for each ward up for election in 2018.
At-Large
General election
General election for Newark City Council At-large (4 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Newark City Council At-large on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Luis Quintana (Nonpartisan) | 21.5 | 16,934 |
| ✔ |  | Mildred Crump (Nonpartisan) | 21.2 | 16,694 |
| ✔ |  | Carlos Gonzalez (Nonpartisan) | 16.8 | 13,252 |
| ✔ |  | Eddie Osborne (Nonpartisan) | 15.2 | 12,003 |
| Bessie Walker (Nonpartisan) | 6.8 | 5,395 | ||
| Hector Corchado (Nonpartisan) | 5.5 | 4,375 | ||
 | Dupre Kelly (Nonpartisan) | 4.5 | 3,551 | |
| Ariagna Perello (Nonpartisan) | 3.8 | 2,979 | ||
 | Shakima Thomas (Nonpartisan) | 2.4 | 1,914 | |
 | Victor Monterrosa Jr. (Nonpartisan) | 1.7 | 1,303 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 528 | ||
| Total votes: 78,928 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
North Ward
General election
General election for Newark City Council North Ward
Incumbent Anibal Ramos defeated Katilia Velez, Pablo Olivera, and Hellane Freeman in the general election for Newark City Council North Ward on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Anibal Ramos (Nonpartisan) | 80.0 | 4,401 |
| Katilia Velez (Nonpartisan) | 13.1 | 722 | ||
 | Pablo Olivera (Nonpartisan) | 3.7 | 205 | |
 | Hellane Freeman (Nonpartisan) | 2.9 | 160 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 13 | ||
| Total votes: 5,501 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
South Ward
General election
General election for Newark City Council South Ward
Incumbent John Sharpe James defeated Terrance Bankston and Khalil Kettles in the general election for Newark City Council South Ward on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | John Sharpe James (Nonpartisan) | 58.2 | 3,046 |
 | Terrance Bankston (Nonpartisan) | 29.7 | 1,558 | |
 | Khalil Kettles (Nonpartisan) | 11.1 | 583 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.0 | 51 | ||
| Total votes: 5,238 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
East Ward
General runoff election
General runoff election for Newark City Council East Ward
Incumbent Augusto Amador defeated Anthony Campos in the general runoff election for Newark City Council East Ward on June 12, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Augusto Amador (Nonpartisan) | 51.0 | 1,824 |
 | Anthony Campos (Nonpartisan) | 48.7 | 1,741 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 9 | ||
| Total votes: 3,574 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
General election
General election for Newark City Council East Ward
Incumbent Augusto Amador and Anthony Campos advanced to a runoff. They defeated Jonathan Seabra, Crystal Fonseca, and Tanisha Garner in the general election for Newark City Council East Ward on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Augusto Amador (Nonpartisan) | 43.0 | 1,524 |
| ✔ | | Anthony Campos (Nonpartisan) | 35.4 | 1,255 |
| Jonathan Seabra (Nonpartisan) | 9.3 | 329 | ||
 | Crystal Fonseca (Nonpartisan) | 8.4 | 297 | |
| Tanisha Garner (Nonpartisan) | 3.7 | 130 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 12 | ||
| Total votes: 3,547 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
West Ward
General runoff election
General runoff election for Newark City Council West Ward
Incumbent Joseph McCallum defeated Tomecca Mecca Keyes in the general runoff election for Newark City Council West Ward on June 12, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Joseph McCallum (Nonpartisan) | 56.0 | 1,378 |
 | Tomecca Mecca Keyes (Nonpartisan) | 43.8 | 1,079 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 4 | ||
| Total votes: 2,461 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
General election
General election for Newark City Council West Ward
The following candidates ran in the general election for Newark City Council West Ward on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joseph McCallum (Nonpartisan) | 30.8 | 1,283 |
| ✔ | | Tomecca Mecca Keyes (Nonpartisan) | 28.1 | 1,172 |
| LaVita Johnson (Nonpartisan) | 18.7 | 777 | ||
| Marcellus Allen (Nonpartisan) | 8.3 | 346 | ||
| Dereck Dillard (Nonpartisan) | 6.5 | 270 | ||
| Artice Norvell (Nonpartisan) | 5.3 | 221 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.3 | 95 | ||
| Total votes: 4,164 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Central Ward
General runoff election
General runoff election for Newark City Council Central Ward
LaMonica McIver defeated Shawn McCray in the general runoff election for Newark City Council Central Ward on June 12, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | LaMonica McIver (Nonpartisan) | 56.3 | 1,578 |
| Shawn McCray (Nonpartisan) | 43.4 | 1,216 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 8 | ||
| Total votes: 2,802 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
General election
General election for Newark City Council Central Ward
The following candidates ran in the general election for Newark City Council Central Ward on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | LaMonica McIver (Nonpartisan) | 40.9 | 1,811 |
| ✔ | Shawn McCray (Nonpartisan) | 16.9 | 748 | |
| Rashon Hasan (Nonpartisan) | 14.3 | 631 | ||
| Rafael Brito (Nonpartisan) | 9.2 | 409 | ||
| Jaime Gonzalez (Nonpartisan) | 6.6 | 292 | ||
| Luther Roberson (Nonpartisan) | 3.2 | 140 | ||
| Czezre Adams (Nonpartisan) | 2.8 | 125 | ||
| Basil Parker (Nonpartisan) | 2.7 | 119 | ||
 | Anthony Diaz (Nonpartisan) | 2.6 | 114 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.9 | 39 | ||
| Total votes: 4,428 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Noteworthy events
Five Newark residents file lawsuit against city clerk
Five Newark residents who initially filed to run in the 2018 city council election filed a lawsuit against the City of Newark Clerk's Office and city clerk Kenneth Louis, saying they were wrongfully prevented from appearing on the ballot. David Walsh, Shakima Thomas, Donna Jackson, Wilbur Ross, and Debra Salters said that Louis "improperly invalidated voter registration ballots submitted for certification for the May 8 Municipal Election," according to TAP into Newark.[2]
Walsh said he turned in 1,527 petitions but Louis invalidated 970 of them, stating they were "blatantly nonconforming" to the state's election law. “You should understand that anyone who knowingly and willfully defrauds or attempts to defraud the citizenry their right to a fair and impartial election by submission of knowingly false petitions of nominations is subject to criminal prosecution and imprisonment,” said Louis in a letter to Walsh.[2]
Louis told Walsh that most of the signatures on his petition were made by non-registered voters, people living outside Newark or out of the district, and that some signatures did not match those that the office had on record. Walsh, however, said he and the other candidates who filed the suit double-checked Louis' statement about the signatures and said the signatures were actually valid.[2]
“This is voter fraud and voter suppression,” said Walsh. “City Hall and the clerk’s office are not advocating for us as Newarkers. They’re advocating for those who are sitting in those seats. I wanted to run for council because the city is corrupt. People know nationally about Newark. That's sad."[2]
Walsh has been an outspoken critic of Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, according to TAP into Newark.[2] Baraka ran for re-election in 2018.
Municipal partisanship
Once mayors elected in 2018 assumed office, Democrats held mayorships in 61 of the 100 largest cities in the country. Out of the twenty-five mayoral elections that were held in 2018 in the 100 largest cities, two party changes occurred. In the election in Lexington, Kentucky, Republican Linda Gorton won the seat, replacing former Democratic Mayor Jim Gray. In Virginia Beach, Virginia, Republican Bob Dyer won the seat, replacing former independent Mayor Louis Jones. Click here to learn more.
About the city
- See also: Newark, New Jersey
Newark is a city in Essex County, New Jersey. As of 2010, its population was 277,140.
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government
Since 1953, the city of Newark has utilized a mayor-council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.[3]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Newark, New Jersey | ||
|---|---|---|
| Newark | New Jersey | |
| Population | 277,140 | 8,791,894 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 24 | 7,354 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 28.6% | 67.8% |
| Black/African American | 50.1% | 13.5% |
| Asian | 1.9% | 9.5% |
| Native American | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% |
| Other (single race) | 16.6% | 6.3% |
| Multiple | 2.4% | 2.7% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 36.3% | 20.2% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 75.3% | 89.8% |
| College graduation rate | 15.3% | 39.7% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $35,199 | $82,545 |
| Persons below poverty level | 27.4% | 10% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
City history
This section provides an overview of mayoral and city council elections in Newark from 2000 to 2016.
Historical elections
Mayoral elections, 2010-2014
This chart shows the results of the mayoral elections in Newark in 2010 and 2014. The mayor is up for election every four years.
| Election results (Mayor), Newark 2010-2014 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014[4] | Ras J. Baraka | 54.06% | Shavar D. Jeffries | 45.70% | 8.36% |
| 2010[5] | Cory Booker | 59.14% | Clifford Minor | 35.28% | 23.86% |
City council elections, 2010-2014
This chart shows the vote totals for candidates elected to the city council in at-large city council races in Newark from 2010 to 2014. All four at-large seats on the city council are up for election every four years.
| Election results (City council at-large), Newark 2010-2014 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First election winner | First election winner votes (%) | Second election winner | Second election winner votes (%) | Third election winner | Third election winner votes (%) | Fourth election winner | Fourth election winner votes (%) | |
| 2014[4] | Mildred C. Crump | 16.20% | Luis Quintana | 14.34% | Carlos M. Gonzalez | 10.44% | Eddie Osborne | 10.39% | |
| 2010[6] | Donald Payne, Jr. | 19.01% | Mildred C. Crump | 17.67% | Luis Quintana | 16.38% | Carlos M. Gonzalez | 14.52% | |
This chart shows the results of the ward city council elections in Newark in 2010 and 2014. All five ward seats on the city council are up for election every four years.
| Election results (City council wards), Newark 2010-2014 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Ward | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014[4] | North | Anibal Ramos, Jr. | 71.91% | Luis M. Lopez | 24.82% | 47.09% |
| 2014[4] | South | John S. James | 71.76% | Brian K. Logan | 13.09% | 58.67% |
| 2014[4] | East | Augusto Amador | 53.51% | Jonathan Seabra | 20.77% | 32.74% |
| 2014 (runoff)[7] | West | Joseph A. McCallum, Jr. | 67.49% | Patricia J. Bradford | 32.32% | 35.17% |
| 2014 (runoff)[7] | Central | Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins | 62.29% | Darrin S. Sharif | 37.49% | 24.80% |
| 2010[8] | North | Anibal Ramos, Jr. | 90.34% | Pablo Olivera | 9.66% | 80.68% |
| 2010[9] | South | Ras J. Baraka | 56.01% | Oscar James II | 37.39% | 18.62% |
| 2010[10] | East | Augusto Amador | 64.97% | Peter Pantoliano | 35.03% | 29.94% |
| 2010[11] | West | Ronald C. Rice | 72.21% | Maryam Bey | 22.76% | 49.45% |
| 2010 (runoff)[12] | Central | Darrin S. Sharif | 50.12% | Charles Bell | 49.88% | 0.24% |
City overview
Partisan control
Municipal elections in Newark are officially nonpartisan, but many city officeholders and candidates are affiliated with a political party. This section details the partisan control of the mayor's seat and the city council heading into the 2018 elections, as determined by Ballotpedia. One or more of the following sources were used to identify each officeholder's partisan affiliation: (1) direct communication from the officeholder, (2) current or previous candidacy for partisan office, or (3) identification of partisan affiliation by multiple media outlets.
- A Democrat held the mayor's seat.
- Democrats held all nine seats on the city council.
2018 elections
- See also: New Jersey elections, 2018
Newark held elections for the following positions in 2018:
Demographics
| Demographic data for New Jersey | ||
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 8,935,421 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 7,354 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 68.3% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 13.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 9% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.5% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 19% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 88.6% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 36.8% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $72,093 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 12.7% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in New Jersey. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2016, Newark had a population of approximately 281,764 people, and it was the largest city by population in New Jersey.[13] The chart on the right shows demographic information for New Jersey from 2010 to 2015.
The graphs below show levels of educational attainment in Newark and racial demographics in New Jersey compared to the rest of the country.
Pivot Counties
Two of 21 New Jersey counties—9.52 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
Essex County, in which Newark is located, is not a Pivot County.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Gloucester County, New Jersey | 0.48% | 10.77% | 12.16% | ||||
| Salem County, New Jersey | 15.00% | 1.31% | 3.92% | ||||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Newark New Jersey election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Newark, New Jersey | New Jersey | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ New Jersey Globe, "Ruiz to walk for Baraka candidates," May 31, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 TAP into Newark, "Council candidates file suit against city clerk," March 15, 2018
- ↑ City of Newark, "Government," accessed August 26, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Essex County Clerk's Office, "2014 non-partisan municipal election," April 18, 2016
- ↑ Newark, New Jersey, "Mayor," accessed January 9, 2018
- ↑ Newark, New Jersey, "At large," accessed January 9, 2018
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Essex County Clerk's Office, "2014 Newark run-off election," April 18, 2016
- ↑ Newark, New Jersey, "North Ward," accessed January 8, 2018
- ↑ Newark, New Jersey, "South Ward," accessed January 8, 2018
- ↑ Newark, New Jersey, "East Ward," accessed January 8, 2018
- ↑ Newark, New Jersey, "West Ward," accessed January 8, 2018
- ↑ Newark, New Jersey, "Central Ward run off," accessed January 8, 2018
- ↑ United States Census Bureau, "QuickFacts Newark, New Jersey," accessed January 9, 2018
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