A Tale of Two Elections: Fierce County Battles and Tenafly's Quiet Consensus

The dust has settled on the 2025 General Election, yielding results that offer a fascinating study in political contrast. At the state and county levels, voters turned out for hard-fought, high-stakes contests. Yet, here in Tenafly, our local municipal and school board races were marked by an almost complete absence of competition, forcing us to consider the state of civic engagement right at our doorstep.

State and Legislative Takeaways

The election cemented a major shift in Trenton, as Democrat Mikie Sherrill secured a decisive victory over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, becoming New Jersey’s next Governor [1]. Sherrill's campaign successfully centered on issues of affordability, property tax stabilization, and targeted infrastructure investment, a message that resonated deeply across the state's most populous regions.

Locally, the 37th Legislative District (LD37), which includes Tenafly, remains firmly in the Democratic column. We extend congratulations to the re-elected incumbents, Assemblywoman Ellen Park and Assemblywoman Shama Haider, on their successful defense of the seats. They defeated Republican challengers Marco Navarro and Andrew Meehan, maintaining the district's preference for their current policy agenda [2].

The Bergen Battleground

The greatest energy on Election Day was arguably found in the fiercely contested races for the three Bergen County Commissioner seats. This race saw intense mobilization from both parties, demonstrating that county governance is far from a quiet affair.

The Democratic ticket swept the contest, with incumbents Thomas J. Sullivan, Mary Amoroso, and Germaine M. Ortiz securing another term. They faced formidable opposition from Republican challengers Jeffrey “Jay” Costa, John Dinice, and Andrea Slowikowski [3]. The narrow margins in several pockets of the county proved that when organized, the opposition can certainly mount a challenge. This robust competition is a healthy sign for Bergen County’s democracy, showing that residents demand high-level debate from their elected county leadership.

Tenafly: A Study in Local Consensus

In striking contrast to the high-wattage county battles, Tenafly’s local races for Borough Council and Board of Education (BOE) were largely uncontested, a recurring pattern that warrants serious local discussion.

Borough Council

The Council race saw the comfortable return of an experienced incumbent and the introduction of a new voice [4]:

• Incumbent Adam Michaels was re-elected. He will continue his role as a steadfast proponent of local infrastructure improvements, notably his long-running support for the Northern Valley Greenway expansion.

• Newly elected Jenifer Jackson joins the Council. She campaigned on a platform focused on modernizing how the borough communicates with residents and expanding local recreational programs.
  

Board of Education

The election for the Board of Education also proceeded without competitive challengers. We congratulate the successful candidates, Jocelyn Schwarz, Adam Enbar, and Morgan Friedman, on their election to the BOE [4].

The TownSquare Question: The Two Sides of Uncontested Races

An uncontested race is, mathematically, a guaranteed win. But in a highly engaged, civically minded community like Tenafly, what does this absence of competition truly signal? There are two main sides to this debate, and both require thoughtful consideration.

The Argument for Community Health and Consensus (The Positive View):

Some experts suggest that uncontested local elections can be a sign of a strong, healthy community that is satisfied with its current governance. When incumbents are highly respected, or when a community's political views are broadly aligned, there may simply be no compelling motivation for challengers to step forward. This outcome can be viewed as a vote of confidence, allowing elected leaders to focus on complex governing tasks rather than constantly campaigning. Furthermore, non-competitive races reduce the financial and emotional friction of constant election cycles, leading to a more stable and collaborative local government.

The Argument for Democratic Deficit and Accountability (The Concern):

Conversely, the lack of competition can signal a "democratic deficit." Since elections are fundamentally designed to hold leaders accountable, running unopposed weakens the incentive for officials to be responsive to the public's needs, as they are not forced to publicly defend their records or policy choices. Research suggests that the absence of a visible campaign often leads to lower citizen participation and engagement. Moreover, the lack of challengers may not be due to contentment, but rather to high systemic barriers, like the demands of time and fundraising, that deter otherwise qualified residents from running.

TownSquare wishes to express its deepest gratitude to all the candidates across the state and county who generously gave their time to speak with our staff and share their platforms with the public. Your willingness to engage is vital for an informed democracy. We also extend a sincere thank you to all our readers for making TownSquare your trusted source for election coverage this year.

We congratulate all the elected officials who stepped up to serve, whether they faced a challenge or not. Now is the time for our community to turn its focus and energy, the same energy seen in the county elections, to the local level. Attend those BOE and Council meetings, engage with the leaders who ran unopposed, and, most importantly, consider offering your own expertise for the next cycle to ensure our local democracy is running at its full potential.

References

1. Associated Press. "New Jersey Statewide General Election Results." AP News. Published November 6, 2025.

2. NJ Spotlight News. "Legislative District 37 General Assembly Official Results." NJ Spotlight News. Published November 6, 2025.

3. Bergen County Clerk’s Office. "General Election Certification: County Commissioner Results." Official County Record, November 2025.

4. Tenafly Borough Clerk. "Official Certified Results for Local Municipal and Board of Education Races." Tenafly Borough Hall, November 2025.