Michael Jackson is a Democratic-affiliated municipal official who has served as the 1st Ward representative on the Paterson City Council since November 2015. He has been a central figure in the city's political controversies for more than a decade, including multiple mayoral campaigns, criminal indictments for election fraud, and repeated confrontations with fellow council members and city officials.

Jackson was first elected to the Paterson City Council in November 2015 and has won four council elections over the past decade. He has established himself as a relentless critic of Mayor Andre Sayegh, running against him in the 2018 and 2022 mayoral elections and seeking the city's top job again in the May 12, 2026 municipal election.

His tenure has been marked by significant legal and behavioral controversies. In March 2021, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced a state grand jury indictment charging Jackson with second-degree election fraud, third-degree fraud in casting mail-in votes, unauthorized possession of ballots, tampering with public records, and falsifying records. The charges stemmed from the May 12, 2020 special election, conducted entirely by mail-in ballot due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigation began after the U.S. Postal Inspection Service found numerous mail-in ballots in mailboxes in Haledon and Paterson. Jackson's defense attorney, Dillon McGuire, filed a motion in April 2026 seeking dismissal of the indictment, alleging that state investigators provided "inaccurate information" to the grand jury and that the five witnesses whose statements formed the basis of the case had "clarified their earlier statements" to exonerate Jackson. The case has been bogged down since May 2023 by a prolonged legal battle over the password for Jackson's cell phone, which was seized by the Attorney General's Office in 2023 as part of a second investigation into alleged witness tampering. The next court date is scheduled for June 9, 2026.

Jackson's conduct at council meetings has drawn repeated official condemnation. In October 2023, Mayor Sayegh called for Jackson's resignation after video captured him aggressively confronting 5th Ward Councilman Luis Velez, threateningly standing over the seated councilman, pointing fingers, and making threats. Paterson police officers intervened when Jackson pushed one of them. The incident was part of a documented pattern that included confrontations with Business Administrator Kathleen Long, threats to Chief Financial Officer Javier Silva, derogatory remarks against city officials, and aggressive behavior toward former Council President Shahin Khalique. In May 2023, the Attorney General's Office seized Jackson's phone as part of the witness tampering investigation.

In March 2026, Jackson was the subject of a $70,000 defamation judgment after calling Paterson business owner Frankee Firrito a "slumlord" in a social media video. Jackson attempted to have the judgment nullified. He has also been ticketed for driving with a suspended license.

Despite the controversies, Jackson has maintained political viability in Paterson's 1st Ward, where he has consistently won re-election. His 2026 mayoral campaign positions him as a transparent alternative to the Sayegh administration, though his two previous mayoral bids in 2018 and 2022 were unsuccessful.

Political Career

• Paterson City Councilman, 1st Ward (2015–present); elected November 2015; re-elected multiple times

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

• Candidate for Mayor of Paterson (2022); unsuccessful

• Candidate for Mayor of Paterson (2018); unsuccessful

Key Policy Areas

• Municipal tax policy and development incentives

• Government transparency and accountability

• Ward-level constituent services

• Law enforcement and public safety

Notable Actions / Initiatives

• Indicted on election fraud charges related to May 2020 mail-in ballot election (March 2021); case ongoing with June 2026 court date

• Subject of $70,000 defamation judgment for calling business owner "slumlord" on social media (March 2026)

• Called for resignation by Mayor Andre Sayegh following physical confrontation with Councilman Luis Velez at October 2023 council meeting

• Cell phone seized by Attorney General's Office in witness tampering investigation (May 2023)

• Advocated for ending municipal tax break program for developers

Education

• Not publicly available

Personal

• Birth date: Not publicly available (age 49 at time of 2020 indictment)

• Residence: Paterson, New Jersey (1st Ward)

• Email: mikejackson@patersonnj.gov

• Office: (973) 321-1250