Essex County Sheriff 2021 Primary Election: See Early Results – Patch.com

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Voters headed to the polls on Tuesday to pick Democratic and Republican candidates for Essex County sheriff as part of the 2021 primary election.

Armando Fontoura had the most votes among the Democratic candidates as of 11:57 p.m. on Tuesday, with Nicholas Pansini leading the Republicans, according to unofficial results from the Essex County Clerk’s Office.

With 503 out of 548 districts reported, here are the uncertified results:

DEMOCRAT (vote for one)

  • John Arnold Jr. – 6,089 votes (18.52%)
  • Armando Fontoura – 25,285 votes (76.9%)
  • Barry Jackson – 1,508 votes (4.59%)

REPUBLICAN (vote for one)

  • Maureen Edelson – 1,387 votes (19.83%)
  • Nicholas Pansini – 5,609 votes (80.17%)

Incumbent Armando Fontoura, the longest-serving sheriff in county history, faced a challenge for the Democratic Party nod from John Arnold Jr., a former deputy director with the Newark Police Department, and a third candidate, Barry Jackson.

The Republican candidates for sheriff in the 2021 primary election were Nicholas Pansini and Maureen Edelson.

Fontoura and Arnold each received high-profile endorsements prior to election day.

Fontoura, a former law enforcement officer and teacher in Newark, picked up endorsements from Gov. Phil Murphy, former governor and current state senator Richard Codey, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (District 11) and U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (District 10).

“We are living in the most challenging of times,” Fontoura stated in his campaign announcement.

“In addition to the usual threats to our public safety by criminal activity, the officers from our department have played a vital and heroic role in maintaining the peace in the wake of major protests and demonstrations against systemic racism and during the testing and vaccination programs to combat a deadly pandemic,” the sheriff said.

Arnold – who served as Newark’s Deputy Police Director from 2014 to 2016 and in the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office from 1987 to 2010 – got endorsements from New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association President Patrick Colligan, Steffie Bartley, senior pastor of New Hope Baptist Church/northeast regional director for National Action Network, and Jerry Smith, senior pastor at Transcend Worship Center and vice president of NAN’s Irvington, New Jersey Chapter.

“Communities across the nation are demanding reform and transparency in law enforcement,” Arnold said in his campaign announcement, adding that he plans to “bring true reform and change” to policing in the county.

Meanwhile, Pansini got a nod from the Essex County GOP, which asked voters to choose him alongside other Republican “line E” candidates, including Jack Ciattarelli, who is running for governor.

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