Editing Piscataway, New Jersey (section)

=== Local government ===
[[File:Piscataway, NJ municipal building, Jan. 2025.jpg|thumb|right|Piscataway Township Municipal Building]]
In November 1966, Piscataway voters, under the [[Faulkner Act]], approved a Charter Study and elected a [[Charter Study Commission]] to recommend the form of government best suited to the township's needs. The Commission recommended [[Faulkner Act (mayor–council)|Mayor-Council]] Plan F. Voters approved the plan in a referendum in November 1967 and the new form of government was inaugurated on January 1, 1969.<ref>[http://www.dudley-2010.com/Faulkner%20Act%2046pages.pdf "The Faulkner Act: New Jersey's Optional Municipal Charter Law"], [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]], July 2007. Accessed November 26, 2013.</ref> The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide governed under this form.<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> Under Plan F the Mayor is the administrator and the Council is the legislative body. A full-time business administrator, appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council, and responsible to the Mayor, supervises the day-by-day operation of municipal government. The Township Council has seven members, one representing each of four wards, and three [[at-large]] members. The Mayor and Council members serve four-year terms on a staggered basis, with either the three at-large seats (and the mayoral seat) or the four ward seats up for vote in even years as part of the November general election.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 81.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=10 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 10. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref><ref>[http://www.piscatawaynj.org/government Piscataway Township Government] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061128071900/http://www.piscatawaynj.org/government |date=November 28, 2006 }}, Township of Piscataway. Accessed December 14, 2006.</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, the mayor of Piscataway is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Brian C. Wahler, whose term of office ends December 31, 2024. Members of the Township Council are Council President Gabrielle Cahill (D, 2024; At Large), Council Vice President Dennis Espinosa (D, 2026; Ward 2), Sharon Carmichael (D, 2026; Ward 3), Michele Lombardi (D, 2026; Ward 4), Linwood D. Rouse (D, 2024; At Large – elected to serve an unexpired term), Kapil K. Shah (D, 2024; At Large) and Frank Uhrin (D, 2026; Ward 1).<ref name=Council>[https://www.piscatawaynj.org/government/mayor___township_council.php Mayor & Township Council], Township of Piscataway. Accessed May 28, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://cms9files.revize.com/piscatawaynj/Document_Center/Department/Finance/cy%202024%20budget%20as%20amended.pdf 2024 Municipal User Friendly Budget], Township of Piscataway. Accessed May 28, 2024.</ref><ref name=MiddlesexProfile>[http://www.middlesexcountynj.gov/Government/municpaldirectory/Pages/Piscataway.aspx Township of Piscataway], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]]. Accessed May 7, 2020.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Middlesex/116148/web.307039/#/summary November 8, 2022 General Election Official Results], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]], updated November 22, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2021>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Middlesex/110780/web.278093/#/summary General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]], updated November 19, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2020>[https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiODhjZDE4ZGUtZjk2Yy00MTI4LTk4ZjYtMmNkY2Q1ZTJmNjY0IiwidCI6IjhlZjNiNGU0LTBlODgtNDM4Yi1iOWE1LTEwZmVjYmQwYjcxZSJ9 Official Results of the 2020 General Election], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]]. Accessed February 7, 2022.</ref>

In May 2021, the Township Council appointed Linwood D. Rouse to fill the at-large seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by Chanelle Scott McCullum until she stepped down to take a seat on the Middlesex County [[Board of County Commissioners (New Jersey)|Board of County Commissioners]] following the death of Commissioner Kenneth Armwood. Rouse served on an interim basis until the November 2021 election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref>Loyer, Susan. [https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/politics/2021/05/17/piscataway-township-council-linwood-d-rouse-newest-member/5125859001/ "Piscataway Township Council welcomes newest member"], ''[[Courier News]]'', May 17, 2021. Accessed February 7, 2022. "Linwood D. Rouse took the oath of office Friday as an at-large member of the council. Rouse is filling the seat vacated by Chanelle Scott McCullum, who now serves on the Middlesex County Board of Commissioners. McCullum filled the seat last month following the unexpected death of Deputy Director Kenneth Armwood on March 29."</ref>

Camille Fernicola was appointed to fill the at-large seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Michael Griffith until his death in November 2014.<ref>Staff. [http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/middlesex-county/2014/11/21/piscataway-councilman-michael-griffith-dies-long-illness/19361917/ "Piscataway Councilman Griffith dies after long illness"], ''[[Courier News]]'', November 21, 2014. Accessed July 13, 2016. "Michael Griffith, a longtime Piscataway resident and at-large township councilman, has died after a long illness, the township said Friday in a statement."</ref> In the November 2015 general election, Fernicola was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Middlesex2015>[http://mcgisweb.co.middlesex.nj.us/elections/results.html?e=2015-11-3 November 3, 2015 General Election Results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118122444/http://mcgisweb.co.middlesex.nj.us/elections/results.html?e=2015-11-3 |date=November 18, 2015 }}, [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]]. Accessed July 12, 2016.</ref>

Chanelle McCullum was appointed in April 2013 to fill the vacant at-large seat of Kenneth Armwood, who had been the township council president until he was appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.<ref>Staff. [http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20130422/NJNEWS/304220004/ "Community news briefs: New councilwoman is sworn in"], ''[[Courier News]]'', April 21, 2013. Accessed November 24, 2013. "The Honorable Judge Philip Paley swore in Piscataway resident, Chanelle McCullum, as an at-large councilwoman at the township's regular and agenda meeting on April 16.Due to the resignation of Piscataway council president Kenneth Armwood, who was appointed to the open seat on the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders after Freeholder Director Christopher Rafano's appointment to the New Jersey Superior Court, McCullum will temporally fill the vacancy until it is filled for Armwood's unexpired term at the next general election."</ref> McCullum was elected in November 2013 to serve the balance of the unexpired term through its expiration in December 2016.<ref name=Middlesex2013>[http://mcgisweb.co.middlesex.nj.us/elections/results.html?e=2013-11-5 November 5, 2013 General Election Results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807050534/http://mcgisweb.co.middlesex.nj.us/elections/results.html?e=2013-11-5 |date=August 7, 2016 }}, [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]]. Accessed July 12, 2016.</ref>