JACKSON – While the township has a non-partisan form of government that doesn’t mean that political partisanship doesn’t play a role in the community’s campaign season.
The Jackson Township Republican organization recently announced its endorsement of interim Mayor Jennifer Kuhn for election and selected Township Council candidates Brian McCarron who serves on the Board of Education and John “Pojo” Pejoski, setting up a contested race this fall.
They will face opposition from Elliott Shem-Tov who is running against Kuhn for the mayoral spot, Chris Pollak who won an unexpired council seat last November and is seeking a full term and Amanda Trombetta seeking a council spot in the November 3 election. Councilman Ken Bressi was appointed twice to fill a council seat but is not currently a candidate in this fall’s council election.
The endorsement of Kuhn and selection of Pejoski and McCarron completes the process of who would run against the Shem-Tov, Pollak and Trombetta team which has been campaigning for months. It also follows the presumption that Kuhn would be filing her paperwork to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission to run as mayor which she did on June 9.
While the township has a Democrat organization, no candidates have emerged thus far to run in this year’s race. Petitions must be filed with the Municipal Clerk’s Office no later than Thursday, August 20, at 4:30 p.m. Each office carries a four year term that would start on January 1, 2027 and end on December 31, 2030.
Kuhn has served as the township’s mayor since October 2025 after being appointed by the majority of the all-Republican Township Council following the resignation of former Mayor Michael Reina who had one more year to serve in his term. Kuhn had been serving as council president. Her filing marks a transition from an interim mayor to a candidate for the office.
A statement by the Jackson GOP following their screening meeting stated “We are proud to announce our full support for Mayor Jennifer Kuhn, along with Council candidates Brian McCarron and John “Pojo” Pejoski. Brian and John are career law enforcement officers with decades of service to the people of Jackson Township and New Jersey. They will make great partners as Mayor Kuhn continues to deliver real results for Jackson Township.”
The statement added, “this incredible ticket of longtime Jackson residents is committed to preserving open space to protect the character of Jackson, enhancing services for seniors and families, and strengthening our public safety.”
The Shem-Tov, Pollak and Trombetta team had already introduced their “Fight for Jackson” platform. The core of their campaign is centered on localized quality-of-life concerns including overdevelopment, infrastructure, code enforcement and town management.
Their ticket has positioned itself as a defender of traditional Jackson Township norms against over-management and what they characterize as external intimidation and political attacks.
This year’s mayoral and two council seat races has generated intense local debate. Verbal barbs, accusations and argumentative exchanges have been a regular part of the twice monthly council meetings. The main arena is the public comment period where residents bring up their concerns and questions to the mayor, council and frequently Township Attorney Gregory McGuckin and Business Administrator Charles Terefenko.
The campaign battlefield has also included various social media pages which have examined issues and serve as a post council meeting content review with threads expressing disappointment over what they heard and observed during the prior meeting.
During the last meeting the public comment period was shut down after Council Vice President Giuseppe Palmeri made the motion to stop it. It was seconded by Council President Mordechai Burnstein following a prolonged comment by one resident. This didn’t sit well with the audience who took to social media the next day to vent about that action which they said prevented a few others from speaking up about their concerns and questions.
With Jackson Day coming up on August 23 at Johnson Park, there are usually campaign tables present manned by candidate teams. Both slates have indicated that they want members of the public to meet and speak with them about what they feel needs to be addressed within the township to improve life for the residents of Jackson and to make their pitch to get their vote.
That setting will provide a more informal and citizen friendly atmosphere where voters can address their questions and concerns and also enjoy some of the fun that the annual event offers.
In the meantime, council meetings and their public comment periods are expected to remain as the main forum of expression between both sides. Subjects have included illegal rentals, Jackson’s recently adopted budget, alleged conflicts of interest involving development in the township, using open space funds for recreational improvements, 14 lawsuits filed against the township and their cost on taxpayers, hiring of additional administrative staff to assist the township clerk’s office, social media posts and responses made on them by township officials and a proposed open space purchase.
