NEW JERSEY'S 11TH DISTRICT — Democrat Analilia Mejia and Republican Joe Hathaway will face off on April 16, 2026, in the special general election for New Jersey's 11th congressional district, filling the U.S. House seat vacated by Governor Mikie Sherrill. Mail-in ballots have been sent to voters, and early in-person voting ended on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Mejia advanced from a February 2026 Democratic primary that featured multiple candidates, including veteran Democrats Tom Malinowski, Tahesha Way, and Brendan Gill. Hathaway, a Randolph Township councilman, was unopposed for the Republican nomination. Independent candidate Alan Bond is also running in the special general election.

Mejia's campaign platform includes holding President Donald Trump accountable, taxing billionaires and large corporations, and guaranteeing universal health care and child care. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed her during the primary, though she did not receive many local endorsements. By the end of March 2026, Mejia had raised just over $1 million, according to the Federal Election Commission. More than half of that total came from contributions under $200, and she received several thousand-dollar contributions from unions and progressive groups.

Hathaway has largely avoided discussing Trump during the campaign. "I would not be a rubber stamp for Trump," Hathaway said. Trump has not endorsed a candidate in the race. The two candidates debated on April 1, 2026, covering topics including the cost of living, military issues, immigration, and the Trump administration. Bond was not invited to the debate.

During the February 2026 primary, the United Democracy Project spent millions of dollars on attack ads against Malinowski. A spokesperson for the group said it opposed Malinowski because he had supported putting conditions on U.S. aid to Israel. New Jersey no longer uses a ballot system that gave candidates endorsed by county parties more favorable ballot placement.

The 11th District spans municipalities in Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties, including Morristown, Parsippany-Troy Hills, and parts of Montclair and Wayne. As of April 1, 2026, the district had 229,561 registered Democrats, 164,954 registered Republicans, and 203,543 unaffiliated voters.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the district by nine percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, and Sherrill defeated her Republican congressional opponent by 15 points that same year before winning her gubernatorial race in November 2025 by 15 points. In six special House elections since early 2025, Democrats posted net improvements of between 13 and 25 points compared with the 2024 presidential results. In Georgia's 14th District special election, Democrats lost by 12 points after Trump had carried that district by 37 points in 2024.

The Kalshi prediction market indicated a 99 percent chance of an overall Democratic victory in the New Jersey race and a 79 percent chance the Democratic candidate would win by at least 24 points. Kalshi's figures were based on market data as of the period before election day.