Editing Linden, New Jersey (section)

=== Local government ===
Linden is governed under the [[City (New Jersey)|City]] form of government. The city is one of 15 (of the 564) municipalities statewide that use this traditional form of municipal government.<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''], [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the mayor and an 11-member City Council. The mayor and council president are elected [[at-large]] to four-year terms of office, while the other 10 members are elected from [[Ward (United States)|wards]] to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or four of the ward seats up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 94.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=4 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 4. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref><ref>Cerra, Michael F. [http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html "Forms of Government; Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924045019/http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html |date=2014-09-24 }}, [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]]. Accessed July 23, 2012. "The number of council members can vary. For instance, the City of Linden currently has eleven council members, a provision which preceded the 1987 revisions."</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, the Mayor of Linden is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Derek Armstead, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026.<ref name=Mayor>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/mayor-derek-armstead/ Mayor Derek Armstead], City of Linden. Accessed February 20, 2024.</ref> Members of the City Council are:<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/person-category/citycouncil/ City Council], City of Linden. Accessed February 20, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11svk7ukgSG1pcFNyNx6N1pG3LpNPuIdt 2023 Municipal Data Sheet], City of Linden. Accessed February 20, 2024.</ref><ref name=UnionOfficials>[http://www.unioncountyvotes.com/elected-officials/ ''Union County Elected Officials''], [[Union County, New Jersey]] Clerk. Accessed February 20, 2024.</ref><ref name=Union2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Union/119032/web.317647/#/summary General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Union County, New Jersey]], updated November 22, 2023. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref><ref name=Union2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Union/116135/web.303253/#/summary General Election November 8, 2022 Official Results], [[Union County, New Jersey]], updated November 21, 2022. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref><ref name=Union2021>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Union/111504/web.278093/#/summary General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results], [[Union County, New Jersey]], updated November 15, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

* Council President – Michele Yamakaitis<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/michele-yamakaitis/ Michele Yamakaitis], City of Linden. Accessed June 27, 2022.</ref> (D, 2026)
* First Ward – Lisa A. Ormon<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/lisa-ormon/ Lisa A. Ormon], City of Linden. Accessed February 20, 2024.</ref> (D, 2024)
* Second Ward – Barry E. Javick<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/barry-e-javick Barry E. Javick], City of Linden. Accessed February 20, 2024.</ref> (D, 2025)
* Third Ward – Monique Caldwell<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/monique-caldwell/ Monique Caldwell], City of Linden. Accessed February 20, 2024.</ref> (D, 2025)
* Fourth Ward – Alfred Mohammed<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/alfred-mohammed/ Alfred Mohammed], City of Linden. Accessed February 20, 2024.</ref> (D, 2026)
* Fifth Ward – Carlos A. Rivas<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/carlos-rivas/ Carlos Rivas], City of Linden. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref> (D, 2025)
* Sixth Ward – John Francis Roman<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/john-francis-roman/ John Francis Roman], City of Linden. Accessed February 20, 2024.</ref> (D, 2026)
* Seventh Ward – Ralph Strano<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/ralph-strano/ Ralph Strano], City of Linden. Accessed February 20, 2024.</ref> (D, 2025)
* Eighth Ward – Mark Armstead<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/mark-armstead/ Mark Armstead], City of Linden. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref> (D, 2026)
* Ninth Ward – Armando Medina<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/armando-medina/ Armando Medina], City of Linden. Accessed February 20, 2024.</ref> (D, 2024)
* Tenth Ward – Christine Ann Hudak<ref>[https://linden-nj.gov/people/christine-hudak/ Christine Hudak], City of Linden. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref> (D, 2026)

In June 2022, Christine Ann Hudak was appointed to fill the 10th Ward seat that had become vacant following the resignation of Gretchen M. Hickey. Hudak served on an interim basis until the November 2022 general election when she was elected to serve the remainder of the term of office.<ref>[[David Wildstein|Wildstein, David]]. [https://newjerseyglobe.com/local/new-linden-councilwoman-is-daughter-of-ex-mayor-assemblyman/ "Linden Councilwoman Is Daughter Of Ex-Mayor, Assemblyman"], New Jersey Globe, June 22, 2022. Accessed June 27, 2022. "Christine Ann Hudak, whose late father served as an assemblyman and mayor, has been named to fill a vacant 10th Ward seat on the Linden City Council. She will replace Gretchen Hickey, who resigned this month after serving eight years in local office.... Hudak will need to run in a special election in November for the remainder of Hickey’s term, which expires in 2023."</ref><ref name=Union2022/>

The 8th Ward seat expiring in December 2020 became vacant in January 2019 when Michele Yamakaitis took office as Council President. The Democratic municipal committee chose Paul Coates to fill the vacancy, but Mayor Derek Armstead sought to keep the seat vacant until the November 2019 general election. After a legal battle waged by the Linden Democratic municipal committee and its chairman [[Nicholas Scutari]], a Superior Court judge ruled in May 2019 that Coates should be immediately seated to the council to serve until the November general election.<ref>[[David Wildstein|Wildstein, David]]. [https://newjerseyglobe.com/fr/judge-rules-linden-councilman-must-be-seated-immediately/ "Judge rules Linden councilman must be seated immediately; Armstead loses court battle to Scutari-backed candidate"], New Jersey Globe, May 14, 2019. Accessed January 24, 2020. "A Superior Court judge ruled that Linden must immediately seat Paul Coates as a city councilman, ending a four-month legal battle that began when mayor Derek Armstead refused to allow the choice of the local Democratic Party to fill a vacancy.... Coates, who takes office immediately, faces Garnett Blaine in the Democratic primary to run in a November special election to fill the unexpired term. Michele Yamakaitis, who left her 8th ward seat on January 1 to become the new council president."</ref> In the November 2019 voting, Garret Blaine was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Union2019>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Union/98875/web/#/summary General Election November 5, 2019 Official Results], [[Union County, New Jersey]], updated December 5, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref>

In November 2015, the City Council selected Ralph Strano from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the Seventh Ward seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Mike Minarchenko until his resignation from office the previous month; Strano served on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election,<ref>[http://www.linden-nj.org/web_content/pdf/minutes/2015-11-10-Council-Minutes.pdf Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the 2015 Council of the City of Linden, held Tuesday, November 10, 2015] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819024138/http://www.linden-nj.org/web_content/pdf/minutes/2015-11-10-Council-Minutes.pdf |date=August 19, 2016 }}, City of Linden. Accessed August 4, 2016. "WHEREAS, Mike Minarchenko, a duly elected member of the City Council of the City of Linden, has resigned from his office effective October 21, 2015; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Vacancy Law, specifically N.J.S.A. 40A:16-11, the municipal committee of the Democratic Party, of which Mr. Minarchenko is a member, has put forward three nominations to fill the vacancy, including the name Ralph Strano. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Linden, County of Union, State of New Jersey, that Ralph Strano is hereby appointed to fill the unexpired term of Mike Minarchenko in accordance with the law and that Ralph Strano shall replace Mr. Minarchenko in all committees he is a part of."</ref> when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Union2016>[http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Union/64712/183160/Web01/en/summary.html General Election November 8, 2016 Official Results], [[Union County, New Jersey]], updated November 14, 2016. Accessed January 30, 2017.</ref>

John T. Gregorio, served as mayor of Linden for 30, non-consecutive years until December 31, 2006, and was repeatedly tagged with scandal during his mayoral career, including one felony conviction, later pardoned, which forced him from office for two terms. Gregorio returned as mayor following his conviction.<ref>Strupp, Joe. [http://njmonthly.com/articles/lifestyle/people/a-man-of-influence.html "A Man of Influence"], ''[[New Jersey Monthly]]'', May 2006. Accessed May 19, 2013.</ref>

Rhashonna Cosby-Hurling became the first African American female elected to the City Council when she took office in 2011 to represent the Fifth Ward.<ref>Russell, Suzanne C. [http://archive.mycentraljersey.com/article/20110117/NEWS/101170331/New-Linden-council-member-proud-first-black-woman-post "New Linden council member proud to be first black woman in post"], ''[[Courier News]]'', January 17, 2011. Accessed November 24, 2014. "Rhashonna Cosby-Hurling gets goose bumps when she thinks of the history mark she is setting as the city's first African-American woman to serve on the Linden City Council."</ref>