Mayoral Election in Paterson, New Jersey

2026 Primary Election

• Andre Sayegh — Incumbent Mayor of Paterson in Paterson, New Jersey

  Andre Sayegh has been the Mayor of Paterson since July 1, 2018. Born and raised in Paterson to a Syrian mother and a Lebanese father, he is a lifelong resident of the city. Sayegh graduated from DePaul Catholic High School, earned a Bachelor's degree in History from Seton Hall University, and a Master's in Public Policy and Administration from Columbia University. His public service career began on the Paterson Board of Education, followed by a decade on the Paterson City Council from 2008 to 2018. He has also worked as an adjunct professor at Passaic County Community College.

• Alex Mendez — Paterson City Councilman, 3rd Ward in Paterson, New Jersey

  Alex Mendez is the current City Councilman for the 3rd Ward of Paterson. He was born and raised in Santiago, Dominican Republic, where he studied marketing at Universidad Tecnologia de Santiago (UTESA) and worked for Pepsi. He moved to Paterson in 2000. Mendez previously served as a Commissioner on the Paterson Board of Education and as a councilman-at-large from 2014 to 2018. He ran for Mayor in 2018, finishing as the runner-up to Andre Sayegh. He is also a business owner with experience in real estate and transportation.

• Michael Jackson — Paterson City Councilman, 1st Ward in Paterson, New Jersey

  Michael Jackson is the City Councilman for the 1st Ward of Paterson. A Paterson native, he is a businessman and the owner of Jacksonville Restaurant and Lounge. He was first elected to the council in a special election in 2015 and won a full term in 2016. He previously ran for mayor in 2018. Jackson is a community activist and played football professionally in Canada for a short time after attending college in Florida.

• Luis Velez — Paterson City Councilman, 5th Ward in Paterson, New Jersey

  Luis Velez is the City Councilman for the 5th Ward of Paterson. He has served on the council since being elected and currently chairs the public works committee.

• Mohammed Aktaruzzaman — Former Paterson City Councilman in Paterson, New Jersey

  Mohammed Aktaruzzaman is a former Paterson City Councilman. There are multiple notable individuals with this name, and it is unclear which one is the candidate for mayor. One Dr. Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman is a professor of Economics. Another is a Bangladeshi academic who served as the vice-chancellor of the University of Dhaka. A third individual with a similar name, Md Akhtaruzzaman, is a former justice on the High Court Division of Bangladesh Supreme Court. More specific biographical information for the Paterson candidate is not readily available.