Newark Mayoral Race 2022: Mayor Ras Baraka Faces Seven Challengers in Bid for Fourth Term
Newark, New Jersey Mayor Ras Baraka is facing seven challengers in his bid for a fourth term as the city's chief executive. The election comes after a tumultuous year for Baraka, including his arrest at a protest and a second-place finish in the Democratic primary for governor. The mayoral race is nonpartisan, with candidates running without party labels.
The challengers to Baraka include artist Tanisha Garner, developer Noble Milton, community organizer Sheila Montague, activist Debra Salters, former court administrator Nasheedah Singleton, tech entrepreneur Jhamar Youngblood, and Douglas “Rodney” Davis. Montague finished second to Baraka in the 2022 mayoral race and previously ran for Congress.
If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the top two vote-getters will advance to a June 9 runoff election. Polls close at 8 p.m. ET, and the Associated Press will provide vote results and declare a winner in the Newark mayoral race. Any registered voter in Newark can participate in the election, with about 159,000 registered voters in the city.
In the 2022 mayoral election, about 18,000 votes were cast, with 16% of the vote cast before Election Day. As of Thursday, about 2,700 ballots had already been cast in the current election, mostly from Democrats. The AP will report results for Essex County, where Newark is located, with the first vote report typically including early and absentee voting results.
The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it's clear that a trailing candidate cannot close the gap. Recounts are rare in New Jersey, but candidates and voters can request them. If needed, a mayoral runoff will take place on June 9, 28 days after the initial election.