Editing Pennsauken Township, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
Pennsauken Township 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. 38.</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> At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor, each serving a one-year term.

{{As of|2023}}, members of the Pennsauken Township Committee are [[Mayor]] Vince Martinez ([[Democratic Party (New Jersey)|D]], term of office on committee ends December 31, 2023), Deputy Mayor Patrick Olivo (D, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2023; elected to an unexpired term), Marco DiBattista (D, 2024), Jessica Jarbou-Rafeh (R, 2024) and Marie McKenna (D, 2025; appointed to serve an unexpired term).<ref name=Committee>[https://www.twp.pennsauken.nj.us/content/township-committee Township Committee], Pennsauken Township. Accessed June 8, 2023. "Pennsauken Township is a Township Committee form of government. There are five members of the governing body who are elected by the residents of Pennsauken to staggered three-year terms. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are chosen from and by the members of the Township Committee to serve a one-year term. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are chosen from and by the members of the Township Committee to serve a one-year term."</ref><ref>[https://www.twp.pennsauken.nj.us/sites/default/files/2023%20Introduced%20Municipal%20Budget.pdf 2023 Municipal Data Sheet], Pennsauken Township. Accessed June 8, 2023.</ref><ref name=Camden2022>[https://www.camdencounty.com/wp-content/elections/general2022/2022-General-Election-Canvasser.pdf Official Election Results 2022 General Election November 8, 2022], Camden County, New Jersey, as of November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Camden2021>[https://www.camdencounty.com/wp-content/elections/general2021/2021-General-Election-Canvasser.pdf 2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Election Results], [[Camden County, New Jersey]], update November 15, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Camden2020>[https://www.camdencounty.com/wp-content/elections/general2020/2020-General-Election-Canvasser.pdf 2020 General Election November 3, 2020 Official Election Results], [[Camden County, New Jersey]], update November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>

In January 2023, Marie McKenna was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2025 that had been held by Nicole "Nikki" Roberts who had been elected to a full three-year term in the November 2022 general election and resigned from office as of December 2022.<ref>[https://twp.pennsauken.nj.us/sites/default/files/Agenda%201.19.2023_updated.pdf Township Committee Meeting Minutes for January 19, 2023], Township of Pennsauken. Accessed June 8, 2023. "Names submitted to Committee from the Democrat Club – Pennsauken Committee accepts the name given. A. Appointment Of Committee Person - Marie McKenna Oath of Office performed by: Bill Orth"</ref><ref>[https://twp.pennsauken.nj.us/content/marie-mckenna Marie McKenna], Township of Pennsauken. Accessed June 8, 2023. "Marie McKenna took the oath of office as the newest member of Pennsauken Township Committee on January 19, 2023. Committeewoman McKenna was selected to fill the open position created by Nicole Roberts, who stepped down from Township Committee on December 31, 2022."</ref>

During the 2022 reorganization meeting of Pennsauken Township Committee, Jessica Rafeh was sworn in as the town’s first Hispanic and Middle Eastern mayor; Nicole Roberts became the town’s first African American female deputy mayor; and the pair represent the first time Pennsauken will have an all-female led governing body<ref>[https://twp.pennsauken.nj.us/content/pennsauken-makes-history-during-2022-reorganization-meeting Pennsauken Makes History During 2022 Reorganization Meeting], Pennsauken Township, January 8, 2022. Accessed April 30, 2022. "History was made during the 2022 reorganization meeting of Pennsauken Township Committee on Jan. 6. During the evening’s proceedings, Jessica Rafeh was sworn in as the town’s first Hispanic and Middle Eastern mayor; Nicole Roberts became the town’s first African American female deputy mayor; and the pair represent the first time Pennsauken will have an all-female led governing body."</ref>

In December 2021, the Township Committee selected Nicole Roberts from a list of three candidates submitted by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that was vacated by Almar Dyer when he took office on the Camden County [[Board of County Commissioners (New Jersey)|Board of County Commissioners]].<ref>[https://www.twp.pennsauken.nj.us/sites/default/files/12.17.2020%20minutes.pdf Meeting Minutes for December 17, 2020], Pennsauken Township. Accessed April 30, 2022. "WHEREAS, as a result of the resignation of Almar Dyer, a Democrat, a vacancy now exists on the Pennsauken Township Committee; and WHEREAS, Committeeman Dyer’s term expires December 31, 2022... NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Township Committee in the Township of Pennsauken, County of Camden, State of New Jersey; Nicole Roberts... Is appointed a member of the Pennsauken Township Committee, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Almar Dyer"</ref>

In June 2021, Patrick Olivo was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Tim Killion until he stepped down from office to become the township's administrator.<ref>[https://www.twp.pennsauken.nj.us/content/pennsauken-announces-personnel-changes-key-township-roles Pennsauken Announces Personnel Changes To Key Township Roles], Pennsauken Township, June 8, 2021. Accessed April 30, 2022. "Pennsauken Township has announced the following changes to its municipal government, administration, and public safety program: Tim Killion has stepped down as a member of Township Committee to become the town’s administrator"</ref><ref>[https://www.twp.pennsauken.nj.us/content/patrick-olivo Patrick Olivo], Pennsauken Township. Accessed April 30, 2022. "Patrick Olivo was sworn in as the newest member of Pennsauken Township Committee on June 17, 2021, filling an open seat on Committee. He was sworn in for his first three-year term after winning in the General Election in November 2021."</ref>