Meet Greg Cannon, Councilman Running For Aberdeen Mayor

ABERDEEN, NJ — Nov. 4 will be the election for a new Aberdeen mayor and two Council seats, and in-person early voting starts Oct. 25.

The Democratic slate is current Aberdeen Councilman Greg Cannon, running for mayor, and Councilwoman Margaret Montone and Pedro Mirabal for Council.

They are challenged by three Republicans: Mark Bishop for mayor, and Lauren Ramos and Michael LaCorte for town Council.

Patch asked all the candidates a set of questions, and all six got back to us. We will be publishing the candidate profiles in the order they were received.

Your name, age and office you are running for.

Gregory Cannon – Aberdeen Mayor

What is your occupation?

Attorney

How long have you lived in Aberdeen and what part of town do you live in?

Lifetime resident – High School neighborhood.

Have you ever run for elected office before? Please list all races and their outcomes, and how long you held that elected office.

I was elected to Aberdeen Township Council in 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023. First took office on January 1, 2010; my current term expires December 31, 2027.

What are your specific accomplishments and skills that would make you a good mayor?

During my tenure on the Council, I have gained the experience necessary to be the Township’s Mayor.

I’ve had the opportunity to work in many different roles and spearheaded many successful projects. From working as a trustee at the Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library on renovations and technology improvements, to working on the Council’s Roads Committee to figure out how to replace Aberdeen’s infrastructure without breaking the municipal budget, there is no aspect of Aberdeen’s public services with which I have not been involved. This experience is vital to serving as the Township’s Mayor, where the proverbial buck stops.

Please give some examples of how you think the current Aberdeen Council has failed the public, or not represented them well. For Greg, do you have any specific criticism of former longtime Mayor Fred Tagliarini?

The Aberdeen Council has never failed the public since I’ve been a Councilman. We had to make some difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions, but we have always represented the public well and made the best decision for all of Aberdeen. Mayor Fred Tagliarini has provided outstanding leadership for Aberdeen for sixteen years; tirelessly promoting our Township and pursuing smart redevelopment projects to remove abandoned factory eyesores from Aberdeen and transform a decades-old contaminated industrial site into affordable senior housing.

Aberdeen is much better off in 2025 than when Fred and I started together in 2010.

Why should voters vote for you instead of your Republican challengers?

First, Aberdeen voters should vote for me because of my experience as a Councilmember, and the numerous projects and initiatives I’ve accomplished during my tenure, from reconstructed roads to renovated parks to conservation of parkland.

Second, Aberdeen voters should not vote for my opponent, Republican Mark Bishop, because he has a serious criminal record and served jail time for assaulting law enforcement officers. Voters should question whether we want the first news story about Aberdeen on Election Day to be the criminal background of the new mayor.

If I’m elected, I have no criminal record, and we can spare Aberdeen the embarrassment suffered by other Monmouth County towns where former criminals presently serve as Republican elected officials, and have been in national news stories. We don’t need it to be Aberdeen’s headline.

What's your favorite part about living in Aberdeen?

My wife and I both grew up here, having both graduated from Matawan Regional High School. Our favorite part about living in Aberdeen is the diverse and vibrant community in which we are now raising our four children. While we want them to be safe, Aberdeen steadfastly remains one of dwindling places where you see kids riding bikes everywhere and gleefully roaming all over town, which is largely owed to the Township’s history of distinct “neighborhoods” and “sections” that create enclaves for our kids.

Meet Mark Bishop, Republican Running For Aberdeen Mayor

Republican Aberdeen Mayor Candidate Talks About His Arrest Record

Meet Lauren Ramos, Republican Running For Aberdeen Town Council

Meet Michael LaCorte, Republican Running For Aberdeen Town Council

Matawan, Aberdeen Election 2025: Who's Running, When And Where To Vote