Essex County Freeholders Will Stay All-Democrat: Election Results – Montclair, NJ Patch

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders will remain a Democratic Party stronghold, according to unofficial election results.

On Tuesday, Essex County residents headed to the polls to vote for two county seats: an at-large freeholder and the register of deeds and mortgages.

With 549 of 550 districts reported, it appears that – pending official certification – Democratic Party member Romaine Graham has defeated Republican challenger Adam Kraemer.

According to the Essex County Clerk’s Office, the results are:

  • Romaine Graham – 56,443 (77.39%)
  • Adam Kraemer – 16,230 (22.25%)
  • Write In – 257 (0.35%)

Graham was appointed to the board in February to fill the unexpired term of Lebby Jones, a longtime educator and community activist who passed away in January. Voters cast ballots to decide who will take over the remainder of Jones’ term.

Each of the other members of the board are members of the Democratic Party: Brendan Gill, Wayne Richardson, Patricia Sebold, Rufus Johnson, Robert Mercado, Tyshammie Cooper, Leonard Luciano and Carlos Pomares.

According to the board’s website, Graham, an Irvington resident, has been a member of the Irvington Board of Education since April 2011 and held the rank of president prior to becoming an at-large freeholder. She is a career educator and was employed with the Newark Public School System from 1999 to 2014.

She earned a degree in urban studies from St. Peter’s College in Jersey City.

In addition:

“[Graham] was introduced into politics in the early l980’s by the late Irvington Democratic Committee Chairman, and former Freeholder, D. Bilal Beasley, and began her electoral career in June 2010 by winning a position in Irvington’s Democratic County Committee representing the North Ward, 9th District. She is a member of the International Alpha Kappa Delta Honor Society, the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW), and the “Newark Do Something” program sponsored by the City of Newark where she facilitated leadership training skills for Newark youth.”

REGISTER OF DEEDS AND MORTGAGES

In the matchup for register of deeds and mortgages in Essex County, the Democratic candidate, Juan Rivera Jr., triumphed over challengers Kristina Christoforou and Joanne Miller, according to unofficial results from the Essex County Clerk’s Office.

With 549 of 550 districts reported, here are the unofficial results:

  • Juan Rivera Jr – 56,278 (74.94%)
  • Kristina Christoforou – 15,859 (21.12%)
  • Joanne Miller – 2,884 (3.84%)
  • Write In – 73 (0.1%)

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