What the November 3, 2026 Election Means for Homeowners and Buyers in Bloomfield, West Orange & Montclair

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and the local races in Bloomfield, West Orange, and Montclair will shape the two biggest line items on your housing decision: property taxes and school quality. Voter registration closes October 13, so if you moved recently or are relocating from New York, now is the time to make sure you can vote. Here is what is on the ballot in each town, why the races matter for homeowners and buyers, and how to use the election as a window into where a town is headed.

I am not here to tell you who to vote for. I am here to help you read what the races mean, because the winners set the budget, the schools, and the development pace that shape what it costs to live here and what your home is worth.

Key Takeaways

1.Local races control your tax bill. School taxes are the largest share of most New Jersey property tax bills, and the council sets the municipal side, so who wins in November shapes the annual cost of owning here.
2.All three towns have consequential races. Bloomfield fills all three ward council seats, West Orange has a seven-candidate mayoral race while its 2026 budget is still unadopted, and Montclair fills a council seat plus three school board seats with no incumbents running.
3.Register by October 13. The deadline to register for the November 3 election is October 13, 2026, and this is a federal midterm, so turnout tends to be higher than a typical local-only election.

Why local elections matter for your housing decision

In New Jersey, the property tax bill you pay is really three bills stacked together: municipal, school, and county. The school portion is usually the largest, and the municipal portion pays for public safety, roads, and services. The people elected on November 3 set both of those numbers, along with the policies that shape development in your town.

For buyers, this matters practically: the monthly cost of a home in Essex County is the mortgage plus property taxes that can add hundreds of dollars a month, and those taxes are set by the people on your ballot. My guide to New Jersey property taxes walks through how the bills work in plain language.

Bloomfield: three ward seats and a contested school board race

Bloomfield voters will fill all three ward seats on the Town Council, each with a three-year term, plus a contested three-seat race for the Board of Education. With no Republican candidates filed in the ward races, the November ballot in those seats matches the June primary winners, so check the certified ballot before you vote.

The stakes are real because the budget fights are fresh. The adopted 2026 municipal budget carried a 12% municipal tax increase, more than triple the prior year, and the school district built its $89.4 million 2026-27 budget after absorbing a $1.5 million state aid cut. The same council weighs the next wave of projects: the 250-unit redevelopment at 71 Locust Avenue, the downtown redevelopment requests for proposals, and where data centers fit in Bloomfield's zoning. My post on downtown redevelopment and home values connects those projects to the market.

West Orange: a seven-candidate mayoral race and an unresolved budget

West Orange has the biggest race in the county this cycle. Seven candidates are running for mayor, including incumbent Susan McCartney seeking a second term, councilwomen Joyce Rudin and Tammy Williams, school board president Brian Rock, and Phil Orphanidis, and five candidates are competing for two open council seats. The campaigns are being fought around property taxes, PILOT tax deals, and development pace, with six builder's remedy lawsuits looming over how much housing gets built.

Here is the timing detail that makes this race especially consequential: the town entered October without a finalized 2026 municipal budget, and a tax increase for homeowners is likely once the final council vote happens. That uncertainty lands on top of a school district that approved a 2026-27 budget cutting 77 staff positions and eliminating middle school sports to close a roughly $13.5 million deficit. If you are weighing West Orange, my explainer on the West Orange school budget and what families should know covers the full picture.

Montclair: a council seat and a school board with no incumbents

Montclair voters will fill one Councilor-At-Large seat, left open when Carmel Loughman resigned, with three candidates on the ballot: Mariana Horta, Kyle Porro, and Toni Martin. The bigger story is the school board: seven candidates filed for three seats, and notably none of the three eligible incumbents are running after a year dominated by the district's budget crisis.

The district is projecting a roughly $1 million surplus for 2026-27, the first positive sign since its deficit reached about $20 million, but the superintendent has said plainly the district is not out of the woods, and a forensic audit is still underway. School taxes remain elevated. For families choosing between Essex County towns, the question of how Montclair's board rebuilds trust matters as much as the test scores. My post on the Montclair school budget for relocating families explains what the recovery means for buyers.

How to vote and what to watch before November 3

The voter registration deadline is October 13, 2026. This is a federal midterm, so congressional and county offices are also on the ballot, which tends to bring out more voters than a local-only election. You can vote by mail, during the early voting period, or in person on Election Day, and the last day to apply by mail for a vote-by-mail ballot is October 29.

Before you vote, read your own sample ballot and catch a candidate forum if you can. Two practical questions are worth asking any candidate: how they would approach the next budget without another double-digit increase, and how they would balance redevelopment with neighborhood character. For the school board, ask how the district plans to manage state aid cuts. For the statewide property-tax measures around this ballot, my post on New Jersey's November 2026 ballot and property tax relief has the details.

What this means for buyers and sellers

Elections do not change the market overnight, but they tell you which direction a town is moving, which is worth knowing before you make an offer. A town that manages its budget without repeated double-digit increases, keeps its schools stable, and plans development deliberately tends to protect home values over time.

The market context matters too: homes in Bloomfield, West Orange, and Montclair still sell over asking, so budget for the sale price, not the list price. In good condition, a turnkey single-family home realistically starts around $625K in Bloomfield, $600K in West Orange, and $900K in Montclair. The election tells you about the town's direction; the pricing math tells you what it costs to get in.

Pricing heads-up: Well-priced homes across these Essex County towns routinely attract multiple offers and close above list. Mid-October 2026 reads: Bloomfield (07003) median sale price ~$619K (RealtyTrac September read nearer ~$683K), homes selling ~6-12% above list on average (single-family in good condition from ~$625K); West Orange (07052) median ~$656K, homes selling ~6-9% above list on average (single-family in good condition from ~$600K); Montclair (07042) median ~$1.2M-$1.3M, homes selling ~20-25% above list on average (single-family in good condition from ~$900K, into the millions in Upper Montclair). Inventory is limited in each ZIP, so prepared buyers who budget for the sale price rather than the list price are best positioned. Every situation is different. Let's talk through what the latest numbers mean for yours.

The bottom line

November 3 is a consequential election for anyone who owns or wants to own in Essex County, because the people elected set the taxes, the school budgets, and the development agenda that shape home values. Register by October 13, read your sample ballot, and treat the races as the useful window into town direction that they are.

If you are trying to decide which Essex County town fits your budget, your commute, and your family, I am happy to walk through the pros and cons with you. No pressure, just honest local guidance.

Talk soon,
Sorelle