Gloucester commissioner resigns

Gloucester County Commissioner Dan Christy will not seek re-election to a fourth term this fall and has resigned his seat.

He is stepping down following a promotion at the Carpenters Union, where he has served as an international representative.  He’s now the Eastern District Representative for the International United Brotherhood of Carpenters.

“Commissioner Christy, recognizing that this would prohibit him from continuing the level of service the taxpayers need and deserve, has nobly tendered his resignation,” said Frank DiMarco, the director of the Gloucester County Board of Commissioners.

Gloucester County Democrats will have up to 35 days from the date of his resignation to hold a special election convention to replace him.  That gives Democrats the option of fill his seat with a caretaker, or with the candidate they expect to run in the November 2022 general election.

Control of county government is at stake this year after Republicans took two commissioner seats and the sheriff’s post in 2021.   In a county that has become increasingly competitive in recent years.  GOP gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli carried Gloucester by ten points and over 10,000 votes, and Republican Edward R. Durr (R-Swedesboro) ousted Steve Sweeney, a six-term incumbent and the president of the New Jersey State Senate.

DiMarco has not yet announced if he will seek a seventh term this year.

Christy was first elected in 2013, defeated Republican Margie Love by less than 5,000 votes.  He was re-elected in 2016 by more than 7,000 votes, and by a margin of about 6,000 in 2019.