Elections

Poage claims Berkeley Heights mayor seat after rival concedes

By Summit Area News staff · November 5, 2026 · 1 min read

Red brick municipal building with library and police station entrances visible. — The Berkeley Heights municipal building, which houses the township's main offices, public library, and police station. Susan Poage claimed the mayoral seat after her opponent conceded the Nov. 3 race. Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page, my Commons user talk page, or my English Wikipedia user talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons

Susan Poage appears to have won the Berkeley Heights mayoral race after defeated council candidate Edmund Tom Maciejewski conceded Nov. 4.

Maciejewski congratulated Poage, a Democrat, "on her election as mayor" in a statement posted on NJ 21st. He also congratulated Township Council incumbents Margaret Illis and Bill Machado, both Democrats, "on their reelection to Township Council."

Poage faced Republican John S. Foster Jr. and independent George H. De Luna in the Nov. 3 mayoral race. The council contest was a two-seat race with four candidates. Illis and Machado ran against Republicans James A. Daoulabani and Maciejewski, according to NJ.com's Union County results tracker.

Specific vote totals were not yet available from the county as of publication. Mail-in ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 can be accepted until Nov. 9, and provisional ballots will not be counted until after all mail-in ballots are tallied, according to NJ.com.

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Jessica Henry

News Producer

Jessica is an Emmy-nominated journalist and newsroom leader with a passion for impactful storytelling. Her work has spanned both local and national media, including television news and podcast production. Throughout her career, she has led news teams across the Northeast, overseeing coverage of major breaking news events, severe weather, and high-profile investigations, while helping shape content that reached audiences across local and national platforms. She believes local journalism is the heartbeat of every community, keeping residents informed and connected when it matters most. Now based in Texas, Jessica is embracing life with her husband and newborn son while continuing her love of storytelling. Away from work, she enjoys family time on the boat, beach days, and exploring the charm of coastal towns and seaside shops.