Meet The Candidate: Keith Hahn For Edison Mayor

EDISON, NJ — The race for the Mayor’s office in Edison has been one of the hottest since last year. Republican candidate Keith Hahn needs no introduction. A retired detective of the Edison Police Department, Hahn has been on the Edison Water Advisory Committee and Edison Planning Board.

In a Q&A with Patch, Hahn spoke about the “dirty politics” he got to see firsthand as the former Chairman of the Edison Democratic Organization. This resulted in much divisiveness in town, said Hahn. “Overdevelopment is rampant and our elected officials just don't seem to care,” he said.

The candidate has a 21 point plan for making Edison a better place to live in. "Our platform is one of progress, safety, and innovation," he said.

Hahn believes that “empathy and compassion” are important traits to possess when one is running for elected office. He brought these traits to work as a police officer and plans to put them to use when elected Mayor of Edison.

Hahn will face Democratic candidate Samip “Sam” Joshi, and independent candidate Christo Makropoulos, on Nov. 2. On the ticket with Hahn are Council candidates, Tali Epstein, Joseph Luistro, and Payal Mehta.

Read below to learn more about Hahn and his platform for the upcoming elections in Edison.

Name: Keith Hahn

Position sought: Mayor, Edison Township

Age (as of Election Day): 50

Party Affiliation: Republican

Family: Wife Liz, daughter Katie, 13, and son Keith, 10.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: No

Education: Edison High School, Middlesex County College, Middlesex County Police Academy

Occupation: Retired Detective with the Edison Police Department

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Edison Water Advisory Committee, Edison Planning Board

Campaign Website: www.hahn21.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

As the former Chairman of the Edison Democratic Organization, I have seen firsthand how the dirty politics and infighting have divided our township and ultimately the residents pay the price. Our schools are overcrowded, we lack full-day kindergarten, we have no recreation center for our children in South Edison, overdevelopment is rampant and our elected officials just don't seem to care. I believe by uniting our community for the good of everyone and not just a selected few we can fix these problems. The Suez referendum in 2019 when we stopped our elected officials from selling our water and sewer to a billion-dollar corporation that would have cost the taxpayers over $850 million is the perfect example of what we can accomplish when working together.

The single most pressing issue facing our township, or Board is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Overcrowding in our Schools. I will work collectively with the Superintendent, Board of Education President, and Council President to help both our students and our teachers. Woodbridge, the township next door receives $63 Million a year in school aid while we receive only $35 million. That is too big of a difference for towns of similar size and population. An extra $28 million dollars a year could fix a lot of problems.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

As a married father of two and former Chairman of the Edison Democratic Organization who saw firsthand how the dirty politics and infighting has divided and destroyed township, I will have the ability to make decisions independently without influence from party bosses or special interests. My opponent on the contrary will have raised and spent almost $1 million from those same party bosses and special interests; the taxpayer will ultimately have to pay that back in one way or another.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency).

They have failed for years to address and enforce our Master Plan and protect the township from overdevelopment. They have failed to address overcrowding and lack of full-day kindergarten and most importantly they have failed to manage your tax dollars in a meaningful and responsible way.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

No Mayor can be successful in Edison without assembling a good team. Our team depicts the diversity we have in Edison not only in our backgrounds and genders but in our common sense political positions that we know will benefit all of Edison residents. Our 21 point plan highlights things we know will improve our town. Our platform is one of progress, safety, and innovation.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Suez. In 2019 when our elected officials wanted to sell our water and sewer to a private for-profit company I organized the group and led the charge that eventually stopped it. We held Town Hall Meetings to educate the public, we had daily signing events and we worked in a bipartisan way to protect the residents of Edison. Although 5,000 residents signed the petition including four sitting Council people, my opponent did not even sign the petition.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My mother told me when I was a kid and reminds me often, especially during campaign season "treat others the way you'd like to be treated".

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

In my 25 years as a police officer, I brought three traits to work every day and it served me well - common sense, empathy, and compassion. In government, like policing, a little common sense goes a long way. The ability to empathize with others and understand how and why they may be in the position they are in allows you to have compassion for the people you are here to serve. I believe these three traits will serve the residents of Edison well when I am in the Mayor's Office.

In anticipation of the upcoming election, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns. We will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

If you're a candidate and want to be featured, please contact sarah.salvadore@patch.com

Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com

Get breaking news alerts on your phone with our app. Download here. Sign up to get Patch emails so you don't miss out on local and statewide news.