Overview

Alex Mendez is a Third Ward Councilman in Paterson, New Jersey, serving since 2020, and is a candidate for Mayor in the May 2026 municipal election. Born circa 1975 and raised in Paterson, Mendez began his career as a real estate investor, completing coursework in business administration at UTESA (Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago) from 1995 to 2000, earning a certificate in financial planning and insurance in 2002, and completing realtor studies at Fox School of Real Estate in 2006. He subsequently operated a transportation company based in Secaucus from 2008 to 2014 and currently works as a full-time realtor for Empire Realty.

Mendez entered public service in 2010 when he was elected to the Paterson Board of Education, where he served as Vice President and was re-elected in 2013. He served as an at-large Councilman from 2014 to 2018, including a term as Council Vice President in 2015. In 2020, he won election to represent the Third Ward by nine votes in a race conducted entirely by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mendez served as Paterson City Council President from 2022 through June 2025, and was re-elected to the Third Ward seat in 2024.

Political Career

Candidate for Mayor of Paterson (2026; election scheduled May 12, 2026)

Third Ward Councilman, Paterson City Council (2020–present; re-elected 2024)

Council President, Paterson City Council (2022–June 2025)

Councilman at Large, Paterson City Council (2014–2018; Vice President 2015)

Commissioner, Paterson Board of Education (2010–2018; Vice President 2010–2013; re-elected 2013)

Professional realtor, Empire Realty (present)

President, transportation company, Secaucus, New Jersey (2008–2014)

Key Policy Areas

Public safety and crime prevention

Housing affordability and first-time homeownership

Education and youth programs

Economic development and small business support

Immigration and citizenship services

Municipal fiscal management

Notable Actions / Initiatives

Election fraud indictment dismissed April 13, 2026, after six years; Judge Sohail Mohammed dismissed all charges against Mendez, his wife Yohanny Mendez, and two campaign workers, citing speedy trial violations and the state's failure to disclose to a grand jury that key witness Rafael "Chi Chi" Cruz had been granted immunity

Charges stemmed from the May 2020 all-mail election, when 347 Paterson mail-in ballots were discovered at a Haledon post office one week before the election, followed by 531 more ballots found bundled at Paterson's main post office six days later; Mendez won the Third Ward seat by nine votes, defeating William McCoy

Following dismissal, Mendez is running for Mayor in the May 12, 2026 election against two-term incumbent Andre Sayegh, First Ward Councilman Michael Jackson, and former Councilman Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman

As Council President, advocated for "hope and safety" and fiscal responsibility

Civic initiatives include scholarship awards for Paterson students, first-time homeowner workshops facilitating up to $14,500 to qualified buyers, tax appeal seminars, quarterly health and living campaigns, immigration forums, citizenship drives, voter registration campaigns, free ESL programs, gang awareness seminars, crime prevention programs with the Passaic County Sheriff's Department, annual toy and school supply giveaways, and city cleanups

Education

Coursework, Business Administration, UTESA (Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago) (1995–2000)

Certificate, Financial Planning and Insurance Producer (2002)

Certificate, Real Estate Studies, Fox School of Real Estate (2006)

Personal

Birth date: Not publicly available (circa 1975; age 45 as of 2020)

Residence: Paterson, Passaic County, New Jersey