A star who combines academic insight and executive and legislative experience, Union County Commissioner Angela Garretson will not pursue reelection.

“After much thought and discussion with my family and trusted colleagues, I have decided not to seek reelection in 2023 as a Union County Commissioner,” said Garretson, who first ran for public office in 2003.

The commissioner – a Rutgers-educated former mayor of Hillside – spearheaded the statewide movement to abolish the title of county freeholder, and personally took the initiative to buttonhole Governor Phil Murphy.

“Changing the title of ‘Freeholder’ is long overdue. People know the term is offensive and refers to a time when only white male landowners could hold public office,” Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver said after the governor complied with Garretson’s request for the name change. “As a former Freeholder, I was fully aware that this title was not inclusive of African American woman such as myself. History is constantly evolving, and our terminology needs to keep up with it to be more reflective of where we are as a society.”

Garretson took the event in stride.

“I am thankful to you for the opportunity to serve,” she said in a statement today as she remains on target to complete her second three-year term as a commissioner.

“I ran as a freeholder,” Garretson said, “but I became one of the first commissioners in the state of New Jersey.” 

Senate President Nick Scutari, the chair of the Union County Democratic Committee, described Garretson as a valuable member of the Union County Democratic Party and said he looks forward to her continued service. Former Union Twp. Mayor Michele Delisort will run with the backing of the party for the seat now occupied by Garretson.

A standout with close ties to Essex County through her higher education connections, Garretson uniquely combined theoretical and practical government knowledge to her work.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Business and Communications from Syracuse University and her master’s degree in Public Administration, with honors, from Rutgers University, and completed her PhD with NJIT/Rutgers on the topic of “university, business and urban school district partnerships.”

A former program director for Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics, the commissioner currently works as Chief External Affairs Officer at the New Jersey Institute of Technology where she reports directly to the university president.

Garretson came up through the rough and tumble of Hillside, serving on the local governing body and eventually gritting her way up to become mayor of the Union County town that sits on the doorstep of Newark.

It was 2013, and the future commissioner defeated incumbent Mayor Joe Menza in a runoff election.

In that election, Garretson prevailed in defiance of Governor Chris Christie, who visited Hillside to campaign for Menza.

From PolitckerNJ:

“HILLSIDE – On a street tucked away behind the frenzy around Gov Chris Christie, stood a campaign headquarters plastered over with ‘Angela Garretson for Mayor’ signs.

“Inside stood Angela Garretson, the local councilwoman running for mayor against incumbent Mayor Joe Menza, who today received the endorsement of the Republican governor in this heavily Democratic burgh.

“It’s always a pleasure to have the governor visit our community, but state and federal officials need to be in touch with local issues,” said the councilwoman amid a battery of allies on the phones a day before Election Day.

“This race is not about Newark or any other place, for that matter,” the mayoral candidate said. “The divisive language used by my opponent only serves one purpose – voter distraction, it is noise. Our residents deserve better. Our campaign is about the people of Hillside, our core democratic values to stabilize taxes, protect seniors, improve public safety and the quality of life for every resident in our community.”

That was like Garretson, to turn the presence of the intimidating Christie into a deficit for her opponent, as she defeated not only Menza, but the Republican governor.

She would go on to run for commissioner and win (twice) in 2017 and 2020 as the highest countywide vote-getter.