Haddonfield Mayor Neal Rochford Will Not Seek Re-Election

HADDONFIELD, NJ — Haddonfield Mayor Neal Rochford will not run for re-election, the mayor announced on social media over the weekend. He didn’t give a reason for his decision.

“It is our engaged community that makes Haddonfield truly a special place,” Rochford said. “Without a doubt, the appeal of Haddonfield is due to the contributions of countless residents who volunteer on boards and committees around town. I leave with a sense of pride, knowing that Haddonfield has continued to be the go-to town in the region for visitors and residents alike.”

Rochford announced his decision just ahead of the deadline to file a petition to run in the May 11 non-partisan elections, in which voters will be able to cast their ballots in-person after a majority vote-by-mail election last year. Read more here: Haddonfield Voters To Cast Their Ballots In-Person This Spring

Rochford and Commissioners Jeffrey Stephen Kasko and Colleen Bianco Bezich are all up for re-election. Kasko and Bezich filed petitions to run for re-election by Monday's 4 p.m. deadline. They were among eight candidates who filed petitions to run for the three open seats. The other candidates included:

• Adam Puff
• Kathryn Raiczyk
• Kevin Roche
• Mark Rusc
• Frank Troy
• Daniel Zhang

“One of the best aspects of Haddonfield's elections is that they are nonpartisan,” Rochford said. “I hope that this tradition is not diminished by the strongly polarized political environment we are currently living in. I wish the future commissioners all the best as they continue to work together on the issues that will define Haddonfield for generations.

“While there are many people I would like to recognize, I want to give a special thank you to the borough employees who are the backbone of the municipal workings. Working alongside you all has been a wonderful experience.

“Lastly, I give a heartfelt thank you to the community for allowing me to serve as your commissioner and mayor. It has been my honor to serve my community and I have wonderful memories of my time as commissioner and mayor.”