A City Council member in Paterson, New Jersey, pleaded not guilty on election fraud charges stemming from last year’s municipal election. Alex Mendez entered his not guilty plea from a Passaic County judge on Thursday. Mendez was previously indicted on seven voter fraud and election fraud charges relating to the May 2020 election. He was indicted on fraud in casting a mail-in ballot, election fraud, unauthorized possession of ballots, tampering with public records or information, false registration or transfer, attempted false registration or transfer, and falsifying or tampering with records. Another Paterson City Council member, Michael Jackson, faces similar charges. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on March 11. Both Mendez and Jackson have continued to serve on the Paterson City Council amid the pending charges. Jackson and Mendez previously objected to what they said is a lack of evidence provided by the Attorney General’s Office after the original charges were filed in …