Democrats have selected Tonya Watts Brown, a three-term school board member and union leader, to run for the unexpired term of Nat Anderson, who was removed from office last month after a federal jury convicted him of participating in a mortgage fraud scheme.
She will face Republican Dr. Dione Johnson and three independent candidates in the November general election for the remaining 37 months of Anderson’s term.
Johnson was a Republican candidate for State Assembly in the 7th legislative district, but lost by a 2-1 margin. She lost Willingboro by a 10-1 margin.
Arrington Crawford, Marcus King, and Cal Turner filed as independent candidates.
Crawford is a clerk in the local community affairs and senior services office; in 2017, he ran against Anderson in an acrimonious Democratic primary. King is the current zoning board chairman. Turner is the planning board engineer.
Superior Court Judge Richard Nocella ruled Tuesday that Anderson automatically forfeited his seat when he was convicted on January 27. Anderson, who refused to resign and continued collecting his municipal salary and pension credits from federal prison, began serving a 366-day sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution at Fort Dix in June. Nocella said the forfeiture was retroactive to January 27. Anderson, appearing remotely from prison, did not contest his ouster.
Anderson, 58, has served on the council since 2009 and has been mayor and deputy mayor. Despite his pending federal charges, he won another four-year term in 2025 without opposition.
“Willingboro is my home, and this community means so much to me,” said Brown. “I have spent many years serving and advocating for others, and I’m ready to bring that same commitment to (the) township council.”
Brown said she is “running because I believe in Willingboro and its future.”
“I want to listen to our residents, address the issues that matter to our families, and work with others to keep moving our community forward,” she said. “My commitment is simple: listen, serve, and do the work.”
Turner said his “connection to Willingboro isn’t theoretical – it’s personal.”
“I’m running as an Independent because of the circumstances of this election, but my responsibility — if elected — will be to every resident of Willingboro. My values remain part of who I am, but my commitment is to the entire community,” Turner said. “I’ve spent more than forty years building a life in Willingboro and a career serving communities. Now I’m ready to put that experience to work for the community I call home.”