Non-affiliated candidate Justin Avishay, of Kearny, has officially announced his campaign for Hudson County Sheriff in the Nov. 5, 2025 general election. If elected, he says he would be the youngest sheriff in county history at 33.
Avishay says he is running on a platform of integrity, modernization and community-first leadership, Avishay says he is rejecting political machines and focusing instead on restoring trust between law enforcement and the public, boosting morale within the department and spotlighting the people and places that make Hudson County strong.
“I may be young, but my soul is old,” Avishay said. “My values are simple: respect people, work hard and lead by example. We need a sheriff who shows up for the officers and for the community — not just during election season, but every day.”
Avishay has launched a series of grassroots interviews across Hudson County, highlighting local businesses, listening to residents and building relationships with officers. His approach aims to unify the badge and the people it serves, while bringing much-needed energy and transparency to the role.
“You don’t have to be a cop to be the sheriff,” he added. “You have to be a leader — someone who knows how to manage, how to listen and how to make things better. I’m here to rebuild what’s been lost: trust, pride and a sense of purpose in the uniform.”
His campaign priorities include:
- Modernizing the sheriff’s office with transparency and tech-forward efficiency
- Raising morale, and fight for better wages for the officers in one of the lowest-paid counties in New Jersey
- Spotlighting community voices and small businesses through regular outreach and video interviews
- Running the department like a business, with real accountability and results
Avishay encourages residents to follow the campaign’s journey on social media at @AvishayForSheriff on Instagram and Facebook, where he shares behind-the-scenes conversations with officers, business owners and everyday residents.
“I’m not here to play politics. I’m here to solve what’s broken and raise the standard of public service. If we do this right, we can make people proud of their sheriff again,” he said.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.