Candidate interview
July 6, 2026
Candidate interview invitations sent
All four candidates received the same ten interview questions from Across the Ballot.
Source: Across the Ballot
Election Timeline
Key dates in the 2026 race
Confirmed events are labeled as such. Dates that have not been verified against an official source are marked to be confirmed. New events are added as they are documented.
- Campaign eventTo be confirmed
Early August 2026
Community town hall
Samantha Hand and Meghann Valeo stated in their written interview response that they participated in a community town hall in early August.
Source: Candidate-provided response
- Candidate interview
August 24, 2026
Hand and Valeo interview responses published
Joint written responses published in full as candidate-provided content.
Source: Across the Ballot
- Early votingTo be confirmed
Late October 2026 (to be confirmed)
In-person early voting period
New Jersey holds an in-person early voting period before general elections. Exact dates and locations are set by Somerset County and must be confirmed with official sources.
Source: Somerset County Board of Elections
- Election Day
November 3, 2026
Election Day
New Jersey general election. Polls are generally open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Confirm your polling location with Somerset County.
Source: New Jersey Division of Elections
- ResultsTo be confirmed
Beginning election night
Unofficial results reported
Unofficial results are reported by the county. Vote-by-mail and provisional ballots continue to be processed after election night.
Source: Somerset County Board of Elections
- CertificationTo be confirmed
November 2026 (to be confirmed)
Certification of results
Results are certified by the county after all eligible ballots are counted. The certification date is set by statute and county schedule.
Source: Somerset County Clerk