Editing Cranford, New Jersey (section)

== Government ==

=== Local government ===
[[File:Cranford NJ building and firetruck and intersection.jpg|thumb|right|Scene near downtown]]
[[File:CranfordNJSummerEvening.jpg|alt=Town center and clock|thumb|The town clock at twilight in downtown Cranford]]
Cranford is governed under the [[Township (New Jersey)|Township]] form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.<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 Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters [[at-large]] in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election 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=7 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 7. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

The Committee members elect a chairman of the committee who assumes the title of [[Mayor]] and another who is selected as [[Deputy Mayor]]. Both positions carry one-year terms. Four of the committee members take on departmental oversight assignments as Commissioner of Finance, Commissioner of Public Safety, Commissioner of Public Works and Engineering, and Commissioner of Public Affairs. The [[List of Mayors of Cranford, New Jersey|Mayor of Cranford]] does not take on a departmental assignment. The Township Committee is a part-time body and the township government is run on a day-to-day basis by the township administrator and various department heads.<ref name=Administrator /><ref name=Committee /> The chief of police is Ryan Greco,<ref>[https://www.cranfordnj.org/cranford-police-department Cranford Police Department], Cranford, New Jersey. Accessed July 4, 2023.</ref> the township administrator is Lavona Patterson,<ref name=Administrator /> and the township clerk is Patricia Donahue.<ref name=Clerk />

{{As of|2025}}, members of the Cranford Township Committee are Mayor Terrence Curran ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]], term on committee ends 2026; term as mayor ends December 31, 2025), Deputy Mayor Paul A. Gallo (D, term on committee ends 2026; term as deputy mayor ends 2025), Brian Andrews (D, 2026), Gina Black ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]], 2027), and Kathleen Miller Prunty (D, 2025).<ref name=Committee>[https://www.cranfordnj.org/township-committee Township Committee], Township of Cranford. Accessed January 12, 2025.</ref><ref name=UnionOfficials>[https://unioncountyvotes.com/elected-officials/ Elected Officials], [[Union County, New Jersey]]. Accessed January 12, 2025.</ref><ref name=Union2024>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Union/122834/web.345435/#/summary General Election November 5, 2024 Official Results], [[Union County, New Jersey]], updated November 22, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2025.</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 January 3, 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 January 1, 2023.</ref>

In June 2023, the township committee appointed Paul Gallo to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Jason Gareis until he resigned from office.<ref>Glackin, Jennifer. [https://www.tapinto.net/towns/cranford/sections/government/articles/cranford-township-committee-names-commissioner-s-replacement-new-deputy-mayor "Cranford Township Committee Names Commissioner's Replacement, New Deputy Mayor"], [[TAPinto]] Cranford, June 21, 2023. Accessed July 4, 2023. "At its meeting Tuesday evening, the Cranford Township Committee unanimously voted in a replacement for former Commissioner Jason Gareis, who recently resigned to take a position at the Union County Prosecutor's office. Paul Gallo, one of the three names put forth by the Cranford Democratic Committee last week, has been appointed to the Township Committee."</ref>

==== Women in elected office ====
[[File:Tree near lake in Nomahegan Park in NJ.jpg|thumb|Tree in [[Rahway River Parkway|Nomahegan Park]] across from [[Union College (New Jersey)|Union College]]]]
[[File:River with reflections of trees autumn in Cranford New Jersey.JPG|thumb|[[Rahway River Parkway|Nomahegan Park]]]]
Through 2022, a total of 12 women have been elected to the Cranford Township Committee, and four women have served as Mayor of Cranford. Barbara Brande was the first woman elected to the Township Committee and the first woman mayor of the township. Mayor Brande was elected to the Township Committee in 1974 and reelected in 1977, serving a total of six years. She was Mayor of Cranford in 1977. Carolyn Vollero, who served the longest length of time for a woman on the Township Committee—nine years—was Cranford's second female Mayor in 1994. Barbara Bilger, the township's third female mayor in 2002 and 2004, was also the first woman to serve two terms as the township's mayor. Mayor Bilger is the first Republican woman to serve as a township commissioner and as mayor.

Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski is a Cranford resident and the first woman from Cranford to be elected to the [[Board of Chosen Freeholders|Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders]]. Freeholder Kowalski was an unsuccessful candidate for Cranford Township Committee in 1999 and served as Union County Freeholder Chairwoman in 2007 and 2019.

Female township commissioners include:
*Barbara Brande ([[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]) – 1975 to 1980 (Mayor in 1977)
*Sandy Weeks (Democrat) – 1982 to 1984
*Mary Lou Farmer (Democrat) – 1984 to 1986
*Carolyn Vollero (Democrat) – 1988 to 1996 (Mayor in 1994, Deputy Mayor in 1993)
*Barbara Bilger ([[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]) – 1990 to 1992, 2002 to 2004 and Sept. 2015 to Nov. 2015 (Mayor in 2002 & 2004, Deputy Mayor in 1992 & 2003)
*Ann Darby (Republican) – 2003 to 2005 (Deputy Mayor in 2004)
*Martha Garcia (Republican) – 2008 to 2010 (Deputy Mayor in 2010)
*Lisa Adubato (Republican) – 2012 to Aug. 2015 (Deputy Mayor in 2014 and 2015 (part))
*Mary O'Connor (Republican) – 2014 to present (Deputy Mayor in 2015 (part) and 2016)
*Ann Dooley (Democrat) – 2016 to 2019 (Deputy Mayor in 2018 and 2019)
*Kathleen Miller Prunty (Democrat) – 2020 to present (Deputy Mayor 2020, Mayor 2021–2022)
*Gina Black (Republican) – 2022 to present

=== Federal, state, and county representation ===
Cranford is located in the 10th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2022>[https://www.njredistrictingcommission.org/documents/2021/Data2021/Plan%20Components.pdf 2022 Redistricting Plan], [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]], December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 22nd state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2023>[https://pub.njleg.gov/publications/pdf/2023-NJ-Leg-District-Map.pdf Municipalities Sorted by 2023-2031 Legislative District], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed September 1, 2023.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 10}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 22}}

{{NJ Union County Commissioners}}

=== Politics ===
[[File:Menu Feb 4 1911.jpg|thumb|Menu at the [[Cranford Canoe Club]]'s 1911 annual dinner]]
As of March 2011, there were a total of 15,649 registered voters in Cranford Township, of which 4,887 (31.2% vs. 41.8% countywide) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 3,701 (23.7% vs. 15.3%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 7,046 (45.0% vs. 42.9%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 15 voters registered as [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarians]] or [[Green Party (United States)|Greens]].<ref name=VoterRegistration>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-union-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary – Union], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref> Among the township's 2010 Census population, 69.2% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 91.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration /><ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTP7.ST16?slice=GEO~0400000US34 GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 – State – County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20200212202223/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTP7.ST16?slice=GEO~0400000US34 |date=February 12, 2020 }}, [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref>
{{PresHead|place=Cranford|source=<ref>{{Cite web |title=NJ DOS - Division of Elections - Election Results Archive |url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/election-information-results.shtml |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=nj.gov}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|6,016|8,453|301|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|5,846|9,040|223|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|5,559|7,057|509|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|5,772|6,236|141|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|6,371|6,513|164|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|6,455|6,160|111|New Jersey}}
|}

In the [[2020 United States presidential election|2020 presidential election]], Democrat [[Joe Biden]] received 170,245 votes in [[Union County, New Jersey|Union County]] beating [[Donald Trump]]'s 80,002 votes. [[Joe Biden]] won [[Union County, New Jersey|Union County]] with 67.3% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Live election results: 2020 New Jersey results|url=https://www.politico.com/2020-election/results/new-jersey/|access-date=2021-03-25|website=www.politico.com|language=en}}</ref> In the [[2016 Presidential Election|2016 presidential election]], Democrat [[Hillary Clinton]] received 6,244 votes (52.3% vs. 65.6% countywide) beating [[Donald Trump]]'s 5,110 votes (42.8% vs. 30.9% countywide) and other candidates receiving a combined total of 593 votes (4.9% vs. 3.6% countywide).<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|first=Jessica|last=Remo |date=2016-11-10|title=Did your town vote for Trump or Clinton? A look across Union County|url=https://www.nj.com/union/2016/11/trump_or_clinton_a_town-by-town_look_at_union_coun.html|access-date=2021-03-24|website=nj.com|language=en}}</ref> From Cranford, 11,947 ballots were cast out of 16,844 registered voters (70% voter turnout vs. 68.87% countywide).<ref name="auto" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Union/64712/183160/Web01/en/summary.html|access-date=2021-03-24|website=results.enr.clarityelections.com|title=General Election – November 8, 2016}}</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] received 6,236 votes (51.0% vs. 66.0% countywide), ahead of Republican [[Mitt Romney]] with 5,772 votes (47.2% vs. 32.3%) and other candidates with 141 votes (1.2% vs. 0.8%), among the 12,223 ballots cast by the township's 16,332 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.8% (vs. 68.8% in Union County).<ref>[http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-presidential-union.pdf Presidential November 6, 2012 General Election Results – Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201192205/http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-presidential-union.pdf |date=February 1, 2014 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140201191259/http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-union.pdf Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast November 6, 2012 General Election Results – Union County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008 presidential election]], Democrat Barack Obama received 6,513 votes (49.6% vs. 63.1% countywide), ahead of Republican [[John McCain]] with 6,371 votes (48.6% vs. 35.2%) and other candidates with 164 votes (1.3% vs. 0.9%), among the 13,120 ballots cast by the township's 16,145 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.3% (vs. 74.7% in Union County).<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-union.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Union County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Republican [[George W. Bush]] received 6,455 votes (50.4% vs. 40.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 6,160 votes (48.1% vs. 58.3%) and other candidates with 111 votes (0.9% vs. 0.7%), among the 12,795 ballots cast by the township's 15,822 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.9% (vs. 72.3% in the whole county).<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_union_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Union County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref>

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2017|2017 gubernatorial election]], Democrat [[Phil Murphy]] received 4,433 votes (53.8% vs. 65.2% countywide), ahead of Republican [[Kim Guadagno]] with 3,598 votes (43.7% vs. 32.6%), and other candidates with 207 votes (2.5% vs. 2.1%), among the 8,424 ballots cast by the township's 17,268 registered voters, for a turnout of 48.8%.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2017/2017-general-election-results-governor-union.pdf |title=Governor - Union County |date=December 21, 2017 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=November 23, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2017/2017-gen-elect-ballotscast-results-union.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 7, 2017 - General Election Results - Union County|date=December 21, 2017 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=November 23, 2024}}</ref>
In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 62.5% of the vote (4,926 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 35.9% (2,834 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (124 votes), among the 8,017 ballots cast by the township's 16,108 registered voters (133 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 49.8%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-union.pdf |title=Governor – Union County |date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-union.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast – November 5, 2013 – General Election Results – Union County|date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009 gubernatorial election]], Republican Chris Christie received 4,787 votes (52.3% vs. 41.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 3,421 votes (37.4% vs. 50.6%), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 793 votes (8.7% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 82 votes (0.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 9,146 ballots cast by the township's 15,871 registered voters, yielding a 57.6% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-union.pdf 2009 Governor: Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017230050/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-union.pdf |date=October 17, 2012 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed May 5, 2013.</ref>