The 2025 Newark mayoral election is a municipal election scheduled for May 12, 2026, to select the next mayor of Newark, New Jersey. This nonpartisan election will determine who leads New Jersey's largest city for a four-year term beginning July 1, 2026. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote on May 12, a runoff between the top two vote-getters will be held on June 9, 2026. The election occurs as Newark continues significant redevelopment projects and grapples with challenges including public safety, housing affordability, and economic inequality. Interest in the race is high because it represents the first open mayoral contest in 12 years, following Mayor Ras Baraka's two-term limit. The outcome will shape the city's direction on critical issues like the implementation of the city's inclusionary zoning ordinance, the expansion of the Newark Community Street Team violence intervention program, and negotiations with the Newark Teachers Union, whose contract expires in 2025. Political observers are watching to see if the election maintains Newark's recent trend of progressive leadership or signals a shift in the city's political landscape.

Historical Context

Newark's modern political history has been dominated by a few powerful figures. Sharpe James served as mayor for 20 years from 1986 to 2006, a period marked by downtown revitalization efforts but also allegations of corruption. Cory Booker unseated James in 2006, serving two terms and nationalizing Newark's image through high-profile education reforms and a partnership with Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg that brought $100 million to the city's schools. Booker's tenure also faced criticism for its close ties to charter school expansion and what some residents called a "tale of two cities" development model. Ras Baraka, son of poet and activist Amiri Baraka, defeated Booker's chosen successor in 2014, shifting the city's focus toward more equitable development and community-based public safety. Baraka won re-election decisively in 2018 with 83% of the vote and again in 2022. The 2025 election will be the first truly open race since 2006, breaking a pattern where incumbents faced only token opposition. Newark operates under a nonpartisan municipal election system, though Democratic Party affiliation dominates voter registration.

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