EMERSON — Republican incumbents Nicole Argenzia and O’Neil Ellis held their seats on the Borough Council in the Nov. 4 general election, defeating Democratic challengers Michael DeOrio and Jose Organ, according to unofficial results. Argenzia led with 1,860 votes (28.13%), followed closely by Ellis with 1,842 (27.85%). DeOrio received 1,494 (22.59%), and Organ had 1,406 (21.26%).
Nov. 5, the winners posted, “Thank you Emerson! Happy to continue to serve in our amazing town!”
Argenzia, a 23-year borough resident and nurse manager at Hackensack University Medical Center, and Ellis, a volunteer firefighter and youth coach appointed to the council in September to round out local historian Jill McGuire’s term, campaigned on keeping services strong while holding the line on taxes, improving recreation, and modernizing borough facilities.
DeOrio, a longtime educator and former Land Use Board member, and Organ, a small-business owner, ran on promises to curb spending and increase transparency, particularly around redevelopment, flooding, and deer management.
In our 2025 Election Guide, both tickets clashed in their approaches to the stalled Block 419/Citizen Emerson Station redevelopment project. The Republican incumbents pointed to the borough’s legal victories as validation of their decision to terminate the prior redeveloper, while the Democratic challengers criticized the administration’s handling of the litigation and called for the project’s completion “as originally planned.”
Argenzia and Ellis also emphasized ongoing drainage upgrades and a boroughwide deer study funded by an $8,000 state grant, while DeOrio and Organ said residents’ concerns and regional coordination should drive those efforts.
Results remain unofficial until all timely, qualified, and eligible votes are counted and the election is certified on Nov. 19. County boards of election have until Nov. 10 to receive postmarked mail-in ballots, and voters have until Nov. 15 to return a cure form to fix a signature or envelope issue. The Board of State Canvassers is scheduled to certify the official 2025 General Election results on Dec. 4.