Three-Way Race Heats Up for Hudson County District 9 Seat

Voters in Harrison, East Newark, Kearny, and part of Secaucus and Jersey City (the Ninth District) will soon decide who will represent them on the Hudson County Board of County Commissioners (formerly known as the Hudson County Freeholders Board)  in one of the most closely watched county races in West Hudson this year. The District 9 seat is open because longtime Commissioner Albert J. Cifelli is stepping down after years of service representing the three municipalities.

District 9, which includes Harrison, East Newark, Kearny, and parts of Secaucus and Jersey City, is the only contested Democratic Hudson County Commissioner primary this cycle, making it especially significant for residents of the western part of the county. Redistricting, adding parts of Secaucus and Jersey City, played a role in the current Hudson County Commissioner Albert J. Cifelli’s decision to retire.

The three candidates seeking to succeed Albert J. Cifelli are:

• Alex Valdez
• Mina Ekladious
• Larry Bennett

Each candidate brings a different background and perspective to the race as voters prepare to choose a new representative for the county board.

The Candidates

Alex Valdez

Alex Valdez enters the race with strong organizational backing, including support from the Hudson County Democratic Organization, several influential elected officials in Hudson County, and Labor Unions. Valdez is no stranger to county politics, having previously challenged Commissioner Cifelli in the 2023 Democratic primary, giving him campaign experience and name recognition among district voters, although Jersey City was not part of District 9 at the time.

Alex Valdez, a Kearny native, is a nonprofit leader and a former Sergeant in the New Jersey Army National Guard. He has been endorsed by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) District 1 and the Hudson County Building Trades.  In addition, and as important as the Union endorsements, he has been endorsed by Hudson County Democratic Organization Party Chair and County Executive Craig Guy, Kearny Mayor Carol Jean Doyle,  Jersey City Mayor James Solomon, and Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli.

Valdez’s story begins in Hudson County, where his mother immigrated in search of better opportunities and the American Dream for her family. Raised in Kearny, Valdez attended local public schools before continuing his education at Rutgers University–Newark, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.

Throughout his career, Valdez has focused on public service and community work. He has coordinated after-school and summer programs for low-income youth in cities such as Passaic and Paterson, helping provide educational and developmental opportunities to underserved communities.

His work has also extended beyond New Jersey. Valdez has participated in humanitarian efforts supporting Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as assisting vulnerable Afghan evacuees resettling in the United States. He has also worked with asylum-seeking families arriving at the southern border—many of whom, like his own family, came to this country in search of a better life.

Now, Valdez is bringing that experience to the political arena. In his campaign for Hudson County Commissioner, he says he is focused on protecting and expanding opportunities for residents across the district.

Valdez has emphasized key issues, including affordable housing, public safety, and environmental protection. He says his goal is to ensure Hudson County remains a place where families can build a future and where the promise of the American Dream remains within reach.

Candidate Alex Valdez’s website is located at https://www.alexvaldeznj.com/

Mina Ekladious

Mina Ekladious is well known in Kearny as a police officer and president of the Kearny Policemen’s Benevolent Association. His candidacy brings a law-enforcement and labor perspective to the race, with an emphasis on public safety, municipal advocacy, and support for working families.

Ekladious enters the contest as a newcomer to county elective office but has built a reputation through his leadership in public safety circles and union representation. His presence in the Election is seen by some as a vote splitter affecting candidate Alex Valdez, who is also a Kearny resident.

Ekladious is framing his campaign around practical, day-to-day concerns facing District 9 residents, from parking and flooding to affordability and public safety.

As the race for Hudson County Commissioner unfolds, voters in Harrison and across the district will be weighing how these issues, and the candidates addressing them, shape the future of their communities.

Ekladious says he plans to bring a hands-on approach to county government, focused on accessibility and responsiveness.

If elected, he intends to launch a constituent services program that gives residents and business owners direct access to his office, with an emphasis on accountability and timely follow-up.

He says effective leadership means being present in the community, listening to concerns, and working until solutions are delivered.

One of the central issues in Ekladious’ campaign is parking, which he describes as a growing problem affecting both residents and local businesses.

Years of rapid development, particularly in areas like Harrison and Kearny, have increased pressure on already limited parking. Ekladious points to overcrowded streets, double parking, and congestion along major corridors such as Harrison Avenue, Kearny Avenue, and Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard as daily challenges for residents.

He is calling for expanded parking solutions, including exploring underutilized properties, and pushing for stricter requirements to ensure new developments include adequate parking rather than shifting the burden onto existing neighborhoods.

Flooding on county roads is another major focus of Ekladious’ campaign. He says the issue is not just an inconvenience, but a public safety concern that affects commuters, businesses, and emergency responders.

Ekladious is advocating for a proactive approach, including routine maintenance of storm drains and infrastructure improvements before severe weather hits. He highlighted several flood-prone roadways in the district, including Harrison Avenue, Schuyler Avenue, and Passaic Avenue. He does not, however, address the Flooding in the Harrison Redevelopment Zone, particularly in the area of the PATH station.

He also emphasized the importance of securing federal funding to support infrastructure upgrades, noting that ongoing projects in the region demonstrate how outside funding can reduce the burden on local taxpayers.

Ekladious says controlling costs and making smart investments will be key to keeping Hudson County affordable for working families.

His campaign calls for reducing wasteful spending while ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used effectively to support essential services and long-term infrastructure needs.

With his background in law enforcement, Ekladious has made public safety a cornerstone of his campaign.

He is advocating for continued support for police, firefighters, and emergency personnel, including ensuring they have the resources, training, and staffing needed to serve the community effectively.

Ekladious says his experience on the front lines gives him a clear understanding of what is needed to keep neighborhoods safe.

Ekladious is also emphasizing support for organized labor and workforce development.

As PBA president, he says he has experience advocating for workers and plans to push for policies that create good-paying union jobs through county projects. He is also calling for workforce training programs in partnership with labor organizations to prepare the next generation of skilled workers.

Candidate Minas Ekladious' website is located at: https://minaekladious.com/

Larry Bennet

Larry Bennett currently serves as Harrison Third Ward Councilman and is one of the best-known local elected officials in the race. Bennett has longstanding ties to the Harrison municipal government and is widely recognized for his work on the Town Council.

Larry Bennett was predicted to be running for Mayor of Harrison in 2022 by the Editor of The Observer newspaper, Kevin Canessa. Bennett did not run and is rumored to have exchanged his run for Mayor of Harrison for the backing of current Mayor James Fife and Councilman James Doran, the head of the Harrison Democratic Party, in support in 2026 for the Hudson County Commissioner’s seat. Bennett, however, is going against the Hudson County Democratic Organization and Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, who are supporting Alex Valdez for Hudson County Commissioner.

As the Harrison-based candidate with elected governing experience, Bennett is expected to campaign heavily in Harrison to get as many local votes as he can gather in his home base. Bennett, however, is in a county-wide election that saw one of his opponents, Alex Veldez, a political novice at the time, run a strong campaign against a long-time incumbent, the current and retiring Hudson County Commissioner Albert Cifelli, three years ago.

Bennett’s age may be a factor with younger Harrison residents who feel that the current town administration which Bennett has been a part of as Councilman has ignored issues in Harrison’s Redevelopment Zone, known as SOHA (SOuthern HArrison), including discriminatory parking rules where SOHA residents must pay for metered parking throughout its neighborhood where the rest of Harrison gets limited metered parking on main streets and free parking on the side streets in its neighborhood. 

Attendance by residents at several Mayor & Council meetings resulted in the formation of a Committee of elected officials, which included Bennett, with the result that “Nothing could be done” to create daytime free parking for SOHA residents.  Although the Town of Harrison owns the Harrison Parking Garage in the Redevelopment Zone, which is underutilized and losing money each year, Councilman Bennett has not made any effort to secure reduced and guaranteed parking for SOHA residents at the Harrison Parking Garage. SOHA is also subjected to Street Cleaning at 4 a.m., which effectively eliminates overnight free parking in the neighborhood unless you are an early riser who enjoys moving your car before sunrise.

The reason the SOHA neighborhood is being treated differently from the rest of the Town of Harrison may be the very low voter turnout and voter registration in past elections. If every voter in the Urby apartment buildings located in SOHA came out to vote, they could elect in this year’s November General Election (there are no Council races in June’s Primary) the next Mayor of Harrison. Anyone wanting to run for Mayor or Council has to submit a Petition with sufficient signatures by Primary Election Day, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, to the Hudson County Board of Elections.

The problem is that SOHA residents complain but do not vote. Bennett faces two younger candidates who may split the vote, but if every SOHA resident registered and voted, those residents could elect the next Hudson County Commissioner. Historically, the candidate who wins the Hudson County Democratic Primary in June wins the General Election in November, as Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by a large margin.

A search of the internet did not reveal a campaign website for candidate Larry Bennett.

Why This Election Matters

The District 9 commissioner seat plays an important role in determining how county government allocates resources affecting everyday life in West Hudson, including:

• Road and infrastructure improvements
• Parks and recreation funding
• County health and social services
• Transportation and redevelopment planning

For Harrison, East Newark, and Kearny residents, this election will determine who helps shape county priorities at a time when redevelopment, traffic, public safety, and quality-of-life concerns remain front and center.

With a longtime incumbent stepping aside and three candidates offering sharply different backgrounds and visions, this year’s District 9 race is shaping up to be one of the most important local elections in recent West Hudson history.

When is the election?  How To Register To Vote

The Primary Election is scheduled for Tuesday, June 6, 2026, with Early Voting from Friday, June 2, 2026, through Sunday, June 4, 2026 (Three Days of Early Voting on Voting Machine).

You must register to Vote by Tuesday, May 12, 2026.  You can register to vote through this link.

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