Rashid Edges Small for Paterson School Board Seat

Late mail-in and provisional ballots flipped the final Board of Education seat in Paterson's election, with Mohammed Rashid ahead by 141 votes.

Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Administration

Rashid Edges Small for Paterson School Board Seat

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Mohammed Rashid overtook Chris Small to capture the last seat on Paterson's Board of Education after 444 late mail-in and provisional votes were counted on Friday. Passaic County Election officials released results on Nov. 13 showing Rashid ahead of Small by 63 votes before the final count.

Why it matters

The result shows how late-arriving mail-in and provisional ballots can decide close local races in Paterson. The new board will oversee a district that has reduced more than 300 jobs in budget cuts this year.

The final tally was Rashid 7,869 and Small 7,728, according to Passaic County election results. Simmons received 9,011 votes and Ramirez received 8,270, while Herndon finished fourth with 5,158 votes.

The players

Passaic County Board of Elections

The county body responsible for administering and certifying elections across Passaic County, New Jersey.

The details

Rashid works as an inspector for Paterson's municipal government, and Ramirez is the health and human services director for the city. Lemoine received 4,316 votes and Ramadan received 3,146 votes in the race.

Nov. 13, 2026: Passaic County released results showing Rashid ahead of Small by 63 votes.
Friday, Nov. 13, 2026: Late mail-in and provisional votes were counted, flipping the race.

Administration Context

Late-counted mail-in and provisional ballots have repeatedly decided close New Jersey races after election night, and this Paterson contest follows that pattern. Paterson's school board now takes office while the district works through more than 300 job cuts.

Paterson families will see a new board member take a seat as the district works through budget cuts that eliminated more than 300 jobs. Residents following school governance should watch how the reshaped board handles those reductions.

The takeaway

Close local elections can turn on a few hundred ballots counted days after the polls close. Following final certified results is the best way to know who holds local office.