Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Clifton City Council Election 2026

7 of 7

council seats up

Vote for up to 7

19 candidates

Updated Oct 4, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

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City Council · Vote for up to 7

Tarek Alnatur3sourced
Tafari K. AndersonTafari Anderson is a technologist, entrepreneur and education advocate.3sourced
Fred BarnesFred Barnes is a Clifton candidate focused on taxes and smart development.3sourced
Avraham Shaya EisenmanAvraham Eisenman is a Clifton resident, parent and business owner.3sourced
Ray GrabowskiIncumbentRay Grabowski is the mayor of Clifton.8sourced
Joseph KolodziejIncumbentJoe Kolodziej is a Clifton councilman and certified municipal finance officer.10sourced
Antonio LatonaIncumbentTony Latona is a Clifton councilman with Air Force and firefighter/EMT experience.7sourced
Richard MejiaRichie Mejia is a university project manager and former Clifton Board of Education member.4sourced
Assad MujtabaAssad Mujtaba is a healthcare provider and founder of Mujtaba Clinic in Clifton.3sourced
Matt MullinsMatt Mullins has lifelong ties to Clifton and a political science background.3sourced
Rosie PinoIncumbentRosie Pino is a Clifton councilwoman with eight years on the council.7sourced
Raj RanaRaj Rana is listed on the Clifton ballot for City Council, position 10.2sourced
Iris A. ReyesIris Reyes is a military veteran and retired law enforcement detective.2sourced
Mary SadrakulaIncumbentMary Sadrakula is a Clifton councilwoman who cites a finance background.8sourced
George SikoraGeorge Sikora cites business and management experience.4sourced
Norman A. TahanNorm Tahan served 12 years on the Clifton Board of Education and has firefighting experience.3sourced
John Thomas Jr.John Thomas Jr. says he has decades of experience in municipal government.2sourced
Matthew J. WardMatt Ward is a Clifton candidate who advocates collecting and analyzing city data.3sourced
Tom WhittlesTom Whittles cites business experience, leadership of CASA and Planning Board service.3sourced

All 19 candidates run citywide, and the seven highest vote-getters win the seven council seats.

3 notes on these statements

Rosie Pino missed the first candidate forum on Sept. 23 and submitted a written statement, which was read at the end. The Clifton Times, Clifton's council candidates face the voters · Sep 24, 2026

Rosie Pino also won the Republican nomination for Congress in New Jersey's 9th district. New Jersey Globe, Clifton deadlocks on filling council vacancy · Jun 3, 2026

Councilman Chris D'Amato is not seeking reelection. The Clifton Times, 19 Candidates, Seven Seats, and a Very Rocky Four Years · Sep 7, 2026

Start here

Match quiz6 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesBudget and taxes, Citywide revaluation, Cannabis licenses Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Election Day

Tue, Nov 3, 2026

All key dates

What the next council decides

Budget and taxes

Where it standsThe city faced a $6.8 million deficit going into the 2025 budget, and the next council inherits a budget with no ARPA funds.

What's on the tableHow to balance the annual budget: new revenue, spending cuts, use of the fund balance or tax increases.

The city faced a $6.8 million deficit, which could fall to $4.6 million with more use of the fund balance. The Clifton Times, Council Determined Not to Consider Lucrative Revenue Source as it Struggles With Deficit · Apr 24, 2025
Last year was the final one for ARPA money, so millions the council relied on are no longer available. The Clifton Times, Council Determined Not to Consider Lucrative Revenue Source as it Struggles With Deficit · Apr 24, 2025
Candidates at the Sept. 23 forum fell into two camps on taxes: spend less or bring in more money. The Clifton Times, Clifton's council candidates face the voters · Sep 24, 2026

Citywide revaluation

Where it standsThe council awarded a $3.2 million revaluation contract in July 2025.

What's on the tableHow the city manages the revaluation and the tax-rate decisions that follow it.

The council awarded the revaluation contract to Appraisal Systems Inc. for $3,200,000. Clifton City Council minutes, July 15, 2025 · Jul 15, 2025
The emergency appropriation funding the revaluation passed 5-1. Clifton City Council minutes, July 15, 2025 · Jul 15, 2025
The revaluation was due in 2026, and the city was already late in acting as of July 2025. The Clifton Times, Clifton Council Mired in Delays and Disputes as Revaluation Deadline Looms · Jul 4, 2025

Cannabis licenses

Where it standsThe council voted 4-3 in August 2024 to end any discussion of allowing cannabis businesses.

What's on the tableWhether to allow any cannabis business licenses in Clifton.

The August 2024 motion to end discussion passed 4-3. Clifton City Council minutes, August 20, 2024 · Aug 20, 2024
Six cannabis license types are available, and municipalities can choose which to allow. The Clifton Times, Council Determined Not to Consider Lucrative Revenue Source as it Struggles With Deficit · Apr 24, 2025
More than half of the candidates at the Sept. 23 forum supported allowing at least some of the six licenses. The Clifton Times, Clifton's council candidates face the voters · Sep 24, 2026

Council health benefits

Where it standsThe council voted in October 2025 to end council members' eligibility for city health insurance.

What's on the tableWhether the change stands and how benefits for part-time employees are handled.

The ordinance eliminating council eligibility for city health insurance passed 4-2 with one abstention. Clifton City Council minutes, October 7, 2025 · Oct 7, 2025
Candidates unanimously indicated at the forum that they would not accept city health benefits if elected. The Clifton Times, Clifton's council candidates face the voters · Sep 24, 2026

City Hall conduct and the city manager

Where it standsThe council suspended the city manager in March 2026 and voted to seek bids for a nationwide search.

What's on the tableWho runs day-to-day city government and how council meetings are conducted.

The motion to suspend City Manager De Marzo without pay for five days passed 4-1 with two members recused. Clifton City Council minutes, March 3, 2026 · Mar 3, 2026
The council voted 7-0 to put out an RFP for a nationwide search for city manager. Clifton City Council minutes, March 3, 2026 · Mar 3, 2026
Candidates were repeatedly asked at the forum about dysfunction at City Hall. The Clifton Times, Clifton's council candidates face the voters · Sep 24, 2026

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

1. Should Clifton allow cannabis businesses?
2. Should council members be eligible for city health insurance?
3. Should the council formally support the New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act?
4. How should the council handle disorder at meetings?
5. How should Clifton close its budget gap?
6. What is the best way to tackle quality-of-life problems?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Election DayClifton City Clerk, public notice of ballot drawing · Aug 26, 2026Nov 3, 2026
Ballot-position drawingClifton City Clerk, public notice of ballot drawing · Aug 26, 2026Sep 1, 2026

The seat math

0 stay (not up this year): 7 on this ballot

7 council seats. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

Clifton fills all seven city council seats every four years in a November non-partisan election. New Jersey Globe, Clifton deadlocks on filling council vacancy · Jun 3, 2026
By tradition, not ordinance, the top vote-getter becomes mayor. New Jersey Globe, Clifton deadlocks on filling council vacancy · Jun 3, 2026
In January 2023 the council voted 4-3 to name Ray Grabowski mayor. NorthJersey.com, Clifton City Council sticks with tradition in naming its first new mayor in 32 years · Jan 4, 2023

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