West Orange Mayor Candidate Pool Grows: Rudin Announces 2026 Run

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Another candidate has thrown her hat into the ring for West Orange’s increasingly competitive mayor race.

On Wednesday, Joyce Rudin announced that she is running for mayor in the town’s municipal election this November.

The councilwoman made her announcement as part of her ongoing “Rudin Report” series.

“My time on the council has driven home one fact: Change in our township has to start at the top,” Rudin wrote.

“The issues facing our township are many, but they are not insurmountable,” she continued. “While Montclair, Summit and Maplewood are praised for their beautiful downtown areas, West Orange has lost businesses. We can restore our historic downtown, not with pie in the sky talk of movie studios that has gone on forever, but with realistic planning and community involvement.”

Here are some of her plans if elected mayor, Rudin said:

“As mayor, I’ll take the lead on improving downtown by focusing on walkability and pedestrian safety — making West Orange appealing to new businesses. We are also facing major threats of overdevelopment, mismanagement of public funds, loss of green spaces and a lack of transparency from the outgoing administration. On the council, I’ve fought against developers who want to force high-rise apartments in neighborhoods where they don’t fit. We can help solve our housing shortage by making it easier for homeowners to build accessory dwelling units on their property because our needs change as our families grow. As mayor, I’ll change the zoning code so residents can hire builders to improve their homes instead of lawyers. The first step in stopping this haphazard development is to FINALLY HIRE A FULL TIME IN-HOUSE PLANNER — a common sense solution that no town should be without.”

“I offer you my honesty, my integrity and my commitment to listen and lead,” Rudin said. “My voice will be our voice, one that puts the residents’ interests first.”

Rudin was elected to the council in 2024. Her term ends in 2028.

According to the municipal website, Rudin is a longtime activist and former journalist. She currently provides financial management and organizing services for individuals and small businesses.

Other candidates who have thrown their hats into the ring for the 2026 mayor race include Brian Rock, Tammy Williams and Phil Orphanidis.

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