Here's who might replace the late Rep. Pascrell on ballot in November election

PATERSON — The congressional seat that became vacant with Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr.’s death on Wednesday morning likely will remain open until after the Nov. 5 election, political insiders said.

Under the law, Gov. Phil Murphy could call for a special election to fill the remaining few months of Pascrell’s current congressional term.

Political figures said they don’t expect Murphy to hold a special election with Pascrell’s death coming so close to the November contest for the seat, especially because Democrats are the minority party in the House of Representatives.

But sometime in the next eight days, hundreds of Democratic County Committee members from Passaic, Bergen and Hudson counties likely will hold a meeting to pick someone to replace Pascrell on the ballot this fall, political figures said.

Among those seen as prime contenders are New Jersey Assembly members Shavonda Sumter and Benjie Wimberly, both from Passaic County, as well as Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh.

Well-connected Democrats said no one has emerged as a likely candidate for Pascrell’s seat from the Bergen County towns in the 9th Congressional District.

Could a candidate emerge from Bergen County?

But political strategists said the flexible nature of the selection process — one in which people can simply show up at the meeting and declare themselves as candidates — means that almost anything can happen between now and Aug. 29, the deadline for changing candidates on the ballot.

The fact that the three leading contenders are all from Passaic County and could split support from their home county in a committeeperson election may prompt someone from Bergen to step forward and seek the Democratic nod.

Bill Prempeh from Paterson, who lost to Pascrell in the past two elections, is the Republican candidate in the 9th District race.

The 9th District has 24 Bergen County municipalities, nine from Passaic County and two from Hudson. But the large populations of Paterson, Clifton and the city of Passaic give Passaic County a slight majority in registered votes in the district, as well as the highest number of committee members for picking Pascrell’s replacement.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Here's who might replace the late Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. on ballot