Belleville Sees Stunning Mayor Election Upset

Frank Vélez unseated two-term incumbent Michael Melham in Belleville’s May 12, 2026 municipal election, according to unofficial results reported by local news outlets and the Essex County clerk’s figures cited by those reports. Danyale Wells and Michelle Rodríguez also defeated incumbents Naomy DePeña and Yolanda Luna for the township’s two at-large council seats. The results ended Melham’s bid for a third term and handed the challengers victories across the top of the local ticket. Belleville’s municipal website now lists Frank Velez III as mayor, with a term expiring June 30, 2028. ### How large was Vélez’s win over Melham? Unofficial returns reported after polls closed showed Vélez with 3,255 votes and Melham with 2,218. TAPinto reported that all precincts were in when Vélez emerged as the winner, and Jersey Bee, citing Essex County Clerk figures, published the same vote totals. (tapinto.net) Patch reported that Vélez declared victory on election night after what it described as a “stunning upset,” and an MSN pickup of local reporting said he led by nearly 19 percentage points. InsiderNJ reported that Melham, who had sought a third four-year term, lost in what it called an inter-generational contest. (tapinto.net) ### Who won the council races that were on the same ballot? Council candidates Michelle Rodríguez and Danyale Wells won the two at-large seats, according to Patch’s election results page and Jersey Bee’s summary of unofficial county figures. Jersey Bee reported Rodríguez received 3,095 votes and Wells received 2,948. (patch.com) Patch identified the defeated candidates as Naomy DePeña and Yolanda Luna. The Digest, in a separate local report, said the council results would give Vélez allied members on the governing body when he takes office. That characterization is The Digest’s description. ### Who is Frank Vélez? Belleville’s official website identified Frank Velez III before the election as the township’s 2nd Ward councilman, with a council term that had been set to run through June 30, 2028. (patch.com) The site describes him as a lifelong Belleville resident. The same municipal site now lists Velez as mayor, replacing Melham in the directory of elected officials. (patch.com) Local reports on the race also described Vélez as 24 years old at the time of the election. ### What happened to the incumbents on the ballot? Michael Melham lost his reelection bid for mayor after serving two terms, according to local reporting and Belleville’s current municipal directory. (bellevillenj.org) Naomy DePeña, who had been listed by the township as deputy mayor, also lost her at-large council race, as did council candidate Yolanda Luna. Belleville’s website still showed Melham and DePeña in office in pages crawled around the time of the election, reflecting the transition period between the vote and the seating of new officials. (bellevillenj.org) A newer page for elected officials lists Velez as mayor and continues to show the rest of the council roster. ### Where can residents check the official local government roster now? (insidernj.com) Belleville residents can verify the current roster on the township’s official website, which lists elected officials and contact information for the mayor and council. The site’s directory page names Frank Velez III as mayor and includes the clerk’s office, which the township says administers elections and maintains municipal records. (bellevillenj.org) The township website says the mayoral term shown for Velez expires June 30, 2028. The same site lists council members by ward and at-large seats, providing the public-facing record of the new local leadership lineup after the May 12 vote. (bellevillenj.org) (bellevillenj.org)