Surrogate in Bergen, New Jersey

2026 Primary Election

• Linda H. Schwager — Attorney and Mediator in Oakland, NJ

  Linda H. Schwager is a Democratic candidate for Bergen County Surrogate. A seasoned legal professional, she holds a B.A., M.S., and J.D. Her experience includes serving as a municipal prosecutor, public defender, and running her own private law practice. Schwager previously served two terms as Mayor of Oakland, New Jersey. She is also an active mediator for family law cases, past president of the Bergen County Bar Association and Women Lawyers in Bergen, and chairs the Matrimonial Early Settlement Panels for Bergen County. Her extensive legal and public service background underpins her candidacy.

• Joseph Stephen Conte — Retired Judge in Franklin Lakes, NJ

  Joseph S. Conte is a distinguished retired Superior Court Judge, having served two decades on the bench in Bergen County, New Jersey. His extensive legal career also includes roles as a Municipal Judge, Public Defender, and an Adjunct Professor of Law. He currently serves as a Franklin Lakes Councilman and on the Planning Board. Conte is the officially endorsed Republican candidate for Bergen County Surrogate in the 2026 Primary Election. His campaign emphasizes integrity, experience, and leadership, promising trusted, fair, and community-first service to the Surrogate's office, which oversees adoptions, wills, and estate administration. He highlights a proven record and commitment to protecting Bergen County families.

• Daniel C. Ng — Adjunct Distinguished Research Professor of Law in Washington, D.C., NJ

  Daniel C. Ng is a Republican candidate for Bergen County Surrogate in the June 2, 2026 primary election. An accomplished legal scholar, trial strategist, and financial professional, he brings over two decades of experience in estates, trusts, gifts, and tax litigation. Since 2002, he has served as an Adjunct Distinguished Research Professor of Law at the Tax Law Institute in Washington, D.C., where he teaches Constitutional Aspects of Federal Tax Litigation. Ng emphasizes that his 11 years as a family caregiver provide firsthand insight into families' experiences with Surrogate Court. He advocates for a court led by expertise rather than political connections, running a grassroots campaign focused on his qualifications and integrity. He is competing against Joseph Stephen Conte in the primary for the seat left vacant by the passing of Judge Michael R. Dressler.