Politics & Government

Mundell Ready To Blaze Trail As First Female Mayor Of Bloomfield

Jenny Mundell is on the brink of becoming the first woman to serve as mayor of Bloomfield, uncertified election results show.

Bloomfield councilwoman Jenny Mundell will become the town’s first female mayor if uncertified results from the Nov. 5 general election hold up.
Bloomfield councilwoman Jenny Mundell will become the town’s first female mayor if uncertified results from the Nov. 5 general election hold up. (Township of Bloomfield)

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Jenny Mundell is on the brink of becoming the first woman to serve as mayor of Bloomfield, according to results from the 2024 general election.

Bloomfield residents went to the polls earlier this week to decide who takes over an unexpired term for mayor, which was left vacant when Michael Venezia took a new post in the New Jersey Assembly.

Mundell, a Democrat, saw a solid win over Republican challenger David Tucker, uncertified election results from the Essex County Clerk’s Office show. See Related: Bloomfield Election Results: Mayor, Council, School Board (UPDATED)

Find out what's happening in Bloomfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Mundell, who currently represents Bloomfield’s 1st Ward on the town council, has since claimed victory. She will vacate her council seat to be sworn in as mayor later this month.

First appointed to the township council in 2017, Mundell has won re-election three times. She has lived in Bloomfield for nearly 15 years along with her husband and son, and works as a vice president of development at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

Find out what's happening in Bloomfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Watch her campaign launch video here.

According to Mundell’s campaign website, her platform included:

Improving Quality of Life – “As the leader of the Bloomfield Beautification Committee, Councilwoman Mundell has considerable experience addressing quality of life issues throughout the Township that have made our public spaces cleaner, safer, more aesthetically pleasing, and more accessible for all of our residents. As Mayor, she will continue this work by utilizing new funding opportunities to ensure our streets are paved, sidewalks are cleaned, and our infrastructure is safe for current and future generations.”

Taking a Strong Stance on Public Safety – “Councilwoman Mundell is committed to continue improving public safety by working collaboratively with the Bloomfield Police Department (BPD), Department of Human Services, as well as the Board of Education to expand youth services. This includes the continued growth and development of the BPD’s CARES Unit, which Mundell helped create to provide a police and social worker co-response when an individual is experiencing emotional distress.”

Business and Economic Development – “Attracting diverse, new businesses to Bloomfield is at the forefront of Councilwoman Mundell’s agenda to ensure the vitality of our local economy while preserving the identity of the Township. Creating new Business Improvement Districts to seek new funding and expand services beyond Bloomfield Center will ensure our residents are provided with an abundance of choices when purchasing goods and services, job opportunities, and increased revenue to keep taxes stable.”

Developing a New Master Plan – “Continuing the progress that Bloomfield has made in the last ten years with a new Master Plan will ensure that we maximize the use of town-owned property while preserving and protecting our open and green spaces. We will also continue the progress we have made in making Bloomfield more sustainable, by investing in green technologies that will save taxpayers money and reduce our impact on the environment.”

Facility Improvements – “In addition to a commitment to identifying new locations for recreation spaces, Councilwoman Mundell plans to ensure accessibility and regular use of the soccer field at Lion Gate Park, complete the demolition of the previous Department of Public Works building and move operations to a new site in a modern building, and invest in renovations to the historic Bloomfield Library.”

POST-ELECTION MESSAGE

Mundell posted the following message on social media in the wake of Election Night:

“It is with immense gratitude and abundant compassion I reach out to you this morning. Truly, I cannot thank you enough for the support over the last 10 months and I am honored to have been elected by a sweeping majority of Bloomfield voters to serve as Bloomfield’s next mayor.

“And yet...

“Like many of you, I woke up today feeling deeply troubled about the shape of our country moving forward.

“And yet...

“Democracy doesn’t mean your candidate wins every time. It means you can cast your ballot freely and that we honor the results of our elections in a peaceful exchange of power (the alternative is much worse). It means you can wake up tomorrow and fight on. It means hope in the face of despair. Democracy remains worth fighting for. We are worth fighting for.

“Today, be kind to you and be kind to your neighbors. Take a break from social media. Don’t read the paper. Hug your kids. Call a friend. Do the things that we have always done to build resilience in our community.

“Tomorrow, reach out to me to see how you can get involved, serve on a board or committee, volunteer, and take action. The more we engage with each other, the more we do our best to create lasting relationships with our neighbors, the more we care for one another through service to community, the more we will grow together, stronger. I promise you, it helps.”

Jenny Mundell is honored at the Essex County Board of Commissioners’ Annual Women's History Month program on March 13 at the Women’s Club of Glen Ridge. The event celebrated the accomplishments of women and recognized their unique contributions to both the county and society. (Photo courtesy of campaign of Jenny Mundell)

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