Editing Pennington, New Jersey (section)

==Government==

===Local government===
[[File:Pennington, NJ borough hall and library, Oct. 2024.jpg|thumb|right|Pennington Borough Hall and Public Library]]
Pennington is governed under the [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]] form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<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 a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected [[at-large]] on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members, who are elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming 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. 73.</ref> The borough form of government used by Pennington is a "[[weak mayor]] / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can [[veto]] ordinances subject to an [[veto override|override]] by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<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=September 24, 2014 }}, [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]]. Accessed November 30, 2014.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=6 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 6. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The borough council has the option to designate an administrator or assign executive responsibilities to the administrator. The council may also adopt an administrative code which describes how the Council performs its duties.<ref>[https://www.penningtonboro.org/form-of-govt.html Form of Government] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502154932/http://penningtonboro.org/form-of-govt.html |date=May 2, 2020 }}, Pennington Borough. Accessed May 13, 2020. "The Borough form remains the most popular form of local government in New Jersey. This form dates back to the Borough Act of 1878 and was revised in 1897 . The borough Mayor is elected at large to a four-year term. Six Council members are elected at-large to staggered three-year terms."</ref>

{{As of|2023}}, the mayor of Pennington is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] James Davy, who was elected to serve an unexpired term of office ending December 31, 2023. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Catherine M. "Kit" Chandler (D, 2023), Katrina Angarone (D, 2025), Deborah L. Gnatt (D, 2024), Charles "Chico" Marciante (D, 2025), Nadine Stern (D, 2024) and John Valenza (D, 2023; appointed to serve an unexpired term).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[https://www.penningtonboro.org/mayor-council.html Mayor and Council], Borough of Pennington. Accessed June 15, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.penningtonboro.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif5426/f/uploads/1108_fbi_2022.pdf 2022 Municipal User Friendly Budget], Borough of Pennington. Accessed June 15, 2022.</ref><ref name=MercerOfficials>[https://www.mercercounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/22827/637794896457670000 Mercer County Elected Officials], [[Mercer County, New Jersey]], as of January 2022. Accessed February 24, 2023.</ref><ref name=Mercer2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/116247/web.303253/#/summary General Election November 8, 2022 Results], [[Mercer County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated November 8, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Mercer2021>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/111513/web.278093/#/summary General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results], [[Mercer County, New Jersey]], updated November 20, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Mercer2020>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/107134/web.264614/#/summary General Election November 3, 2020 Official Results], [[Mercer County, New Jersey]], updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref><ref name=Mercer2019>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Mercer/98876/Web02.236009/#/ General Election November 2019 Official Results (Amended November 25, 2019)], [[Mercer County, New Jersey]], updated December 9, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref>

In February 2023, the council selected John Valenza to fill the seat that had been held by Ken Gross expiring in December 2023 that became vacant when he resigned.<ref>Murphy-DePaolo, Colleen. [https://mercerme.com/pennington-council-elects-new-member-life-long-pennington-resident-john-valenza/ "Pennington Council elects new member: life-long Pennington resident John Valenza"], Mercer Me, February 9, 2023. Accessed April 23, 2023. "Mayor Jim Davy read a proclamation during the reorganization meeting honoring former member Ken Gross.... Valenza took his oath of office to join council as its newest member.... Valenza’s election was to fill the unexpired term left by Gross, ending December 31, 2023."</ref>

Katrina Angarone was selected in February 2022 from a list of three names submitted by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Beverly Mills until her resignation from office the previous month.<ref>Harrison, Andrew. [https://centraljersey.com/2022/02/08/angarone-appointed-as-newest-member-of-pennington-council/ "Angarone appointed newest member of Pennington Council"], ''Hopewell News'', February 8, 2022. Accessed June 15, 2022. "The Pennington Council has appointed Katrina Angarone to fill former Councilwoman Beverly Mills’s vacant seat on the governing body. The council unanimously voted to appoint Angarone to the unfilled seat on the council at a meeting on Feb. 7. Angarone was one of three candidates nominated by the Pennington Democratic Committee to fill the council vacancy.... Mills resignation from the governing body went into effect on Jan. 6 and was announced at the council’s reorganization meeting on Jan. 5."</ref>

In June 2021, the borough council appointed former councilmember James Davy to fill the mayoral seat expiring in December 2023 that became vacant following the resignation of Joseph Lawver earlier that month.<ref>Harrison, Andrew. [https://centraljersey.com/2021/06/09/lawver-resigns-davy-appointed-penningtons-new-mayor/ "Lawver resigns; Davy appointed Pennington’s new mayor"], ''Hopewell News'', June 9, 2021. Accessed June 15, 2022. "Former Pennington Councilman James Davy was appointed Pennington’s new mayor following the recent resignation of former Mayor Joe Lawver. Davy was appointed through a unanimous vote by the Borough Council at a council meeting on June 7.... Davy now succeeds Lawver, whose resignation was effective June 6. He fills Lawver’s unexpired term until Dec. 31, 2023."</ref> Davy served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when he was elected to serve the remainder of the term of office.<ref name=Mercer2021/>

In January 2019, Joseph Lawver was appointed to fill the mayoral seat expiring in December 2019 that was vacated by Anthony Persichilli, the borough's longest-serving mayor, when he resigned from office the previous month.<ref>Galioto, Mary. [https://mercerme.com/pennington-borough-honors-former-mayor-and-swears-in-council-members/ "Pennington Borough Honors Former Mayor and Swears-in Council Members"], MercerMe, January 10, 2019. Accessed November 28, 2019. "New Councilwoman Liz Semple was sworn in to a three-year term, and Councilwoman Deb Gnatt was re-elected. Mayor Joe Lawver was selected by Council at the December 27, 2018 meeting to fill the unexpired mayoral term vacated upon Tony Persichilli’s retirement. That term runs to December 31, 2019.... Persichilli set a 12-year record as the longest serving mayor in Pennington Borough history."</ref> Former mayor Persichilli was first elected on November 7, 2006, to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of James Loper. Returned to office at that same election were Democratic council members Joseph Lawver and Eileen Heinzel.<ref>[http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=17439311&BRD=1689&PAG=461&dept_id=41795&rfi=8 Pennington keeps council, changes mayor] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930023640/http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=17439311&BRD=1689&PAG=461&dept_id=41795&rfi=8 |date=September 30, 2007 }}, ''Pennington Post'', November 8, 2006.</ref> James Loper, the previous elected mayor, had resigned from office effective February 1, 2006. The Pennington Republican Committee nominated three candidates to take his place and the council selected James Benton from the three candidates to fill the vacancy.<ref>[http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16047392&BRD=1091&PAG=461&dept_id=425744&rfi=6 Pennington Borough Mayor Resigns] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311053046/http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16047392&BRD=1091&PAG=461&dept_id=425744&rfi=6 |date=March 11, 2007 }}, ''Hopewell Valley News'', February 2, 2006.</ref> That same procedure was repeated in December 2006, when the borough council selected Diane Zompa to fill the unexpired term left by Persichilli.<ref>Hamner, Nicholas. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930035104/http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=17564095&BRD=1689&PAG=461&dept_id=41795&rfi=8 "Council complete"], ''Pennington Post'', December 7, 2006, backed up by the [[Internet Archive]] as of September 30, 2007. Accessed July 11, 2016.</ref>

===Federal, state and county representation===
Pennington is located in the 12th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2012-congressional-districts/njcd-2011-plan-components-county-mcd.pdf Plan Components Report], [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]], December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 15th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2011-legislative-districts/towns-districts.pdf Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>[https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5bae63366fd2b2e5b9f87e5e/5d30f0a94a82c66427e564d2_2019_CitizensGuide.pdf ''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''], New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#15 Districts by Number for 2011-2020], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 12}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 15}}

{{NJ Mercer County Freeholders}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,017 registered voters in Pennington, of which 828 (41.1%) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 467 (23.2%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 720 (35.7%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 2 voters registered as either [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarians]] or [[Green Party (United States)|Greens]].<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-mercer-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Mercer], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 21, 2012.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Presidential Elections Results
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
![[Third Party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2024 United States presidential election in New Jersey|2024]]<ref name="2024Elections">{{cite web|url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2024/2024-official-general-results-president-mercer.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 5, 2024 - Mercer County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=January 8, 2025}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|19.8% ''340''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''78.8%'''  ''1,353''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.4% ''24''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2020|2020]]<ref name="2020Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2020/2020-official-general-results-president-mercer.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 8, 2016 - Mercer County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2017|archive-date=March 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307051429/https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2020/2020-official-general-results-president-mercer.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|19.1% ''349''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''79.5%'''  ''1,453''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.4% ''25''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016|2016]]<ref name="2016Elections">{{cite web|url=http://nj.gov/state/elections/2016-results/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-mercer.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 8, 2016 - Mercer County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2017}}{{dead link|date=January 2020}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|20.3% ''309''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''75.4%'''  ''1,149''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |4.3% ''65''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012]]<ref name="2012Elections">{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-mercer.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Mercer County|date=March 15, 2013|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 23, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224050112/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-mercer.pdf|archive-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|32.7% ''488''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''66.0%'''  ''985''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.3% ''19''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008]]<ref name="state.nj.us">[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-mercer.rev.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Mercer County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 21, 2012.</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|31.4% ''506''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''67.5%'''  ''1,090''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.1% ''18''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004]]<ref name="Presidential Election 2004">[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_mercer_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Mercer County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 21, 2012.</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|36.5% ''581''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''62.8%'''  ''999''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.7% ''11''
|-
|}

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] received 66.0% of the vote (985 cast), ahead of Republican [[Mitt Romney]] with 32.7% (488 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (19 votes), among the 1,653 ballots cast by the borough's 2,115 registered voters (161 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 78.2%.<ref name="2012Elections"/><ref name=2012VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-mercer.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 6, 2012 - General Election Results - Mercer County |date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224045621/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-mercer.pdf |archive-date=December 24, 2014 }}</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008 presidential election]], Democrat Barack Obama received 66.9% of the vote (1,090 cast), ahead of Republican [[John McCain]] with 31.0% (506 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (18 votes), among the 1,630 ballots cast by the borough's 2,088 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.1%.<ref name="state.nj.us"/> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Democrat [[John Kerry]] received 61.7% of the vote (999 ballots cast), outpolling Republican [[George W. Bush]] with 35.9% (581 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (11 votes), among the 1,619 ballots cast by the borough's 2,022 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 80.1.<ref name="Presidential Election 2004"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Gubernatorial Elections Results
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
![[Third Party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2021|2021]]<ref name="2021Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2021/2021-general-election-results-governor-mercer.pdf|title=Governor - Mercer County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101135257/http://www.njelections.org/2017-results/2017-general-election-results-governor-mercer.pdf|archive-date=January 1, 2018}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|23.9% ''290''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''75.4%'''  ''914''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.7% ''8''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2017|2017]]<ref name="2017Elections">{{cite web|url=http://www.njelections.org/2017-results/2017-general-election-results-governor-mercer.pdf|title=Governor - Mercer County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101135257/http://www.njelections.org/2017-results/2017-general-election-results-governor-mercer.pdf|archive-date=January 1, 2018}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|28.3% ''296''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''69.9%'''  ''730''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.8% ''19''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013]]<ref name="2013Elections">{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-mercer.pdf|title=Governor - Mercer County|date=January 29, 2014|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 24, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101063506/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-mercer.pdf|archive-date=January 1, 2015}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''49.6%''' ''496''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.7%  ''487''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.6% ''16''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009]]<ref name="2009 Governor: Mercer County">[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-mercer.pdf 2009 Governor: Mercer County], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822213742/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-mercer.pdf |date=August 22, 2012 }} [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 21, 2012.</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|35.7% ''425''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.8%'''  ''640''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |9.6% ''114''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2005|2005]]<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2005governor's_results-mercer.pdf 2005 Governor: Mercer County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160707151030/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2005governor's_results-mercer.pdf |date=July 7, 2016 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections. Accessed December 31, 2017.</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|40.2% ''460''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''56.8%''' ''649''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |3.0% ''34''
|}

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 49.6% of the vote (496 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 48.7% (487 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (16 votes), among the 1,015 ballots cast by the borough's 2,067 registered voters (16 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 49.1%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-mercer-0131.pdf |title=Governor - Mercer County |date=January 31, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 23, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-mercer.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Mercer County |date=January 31, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 23, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924133311/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-mercer.pdf |archive-date=September 24, 2015 }}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009 gubernatorial election]], Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] received 53.8% of the vote (640 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 35.7% (425 votes), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 9.3% (111 votes) and other candidates with 0.3% (3 votes), among the 1,190 ballots cast by the borough's 2,057 registered voters, yielding a 57.9% turnout.<ref name="2009 Governor: Mercer County"/>